CAIT TECHNOLOGIESOnline Services Overview of the Computers Printing CAIT Home Overview of the ComputersStations 9, 12, 13 and 14, have scanners. All computers are on a "first come, first serve" basis. Note that student use may be curtailed by an instructor who needs access to a system for a course use, but this is very rare.All our microcomputers are linked together in a local area network (LAN). This network is in turn connected to a larger campus wide area network (WAN). All of the computers in the lab are running Windows XP. The desktop of all the computers have several important icons on them. A very important item is the icon for Norton Antivirus. This software can be used to scan your floppy disk for computer viruses. Scanning for viruses takes place each time you open a file with an application here. However, your entire disk contents are not scanned unless you activate the virus scan software. This is highly recommended. Formatting disks can be done using "My Computer," which appears as an icon on the desktop. Copying files can be done with either "My Computer" or "Windows Explorer". "Windows Explorer" is located by clicking the "Start" button at the bottom of the screen and choosing "Programs." If you are unsure how to perform any of these tasks, please ask for help. There will be classes that will need to do assignments from a DOS C:\> prompt. If you need to exit to DOS for an assignment you can do so but please return to the standard desktop at the end of your session. Most of us will not need to work outside of this desktop. Since some of the computers are more powerful than others, the software available on each may differ, however all Windows machines have Microsoft Office 2003 which includes (Word, Access, Excel, Powerpoint, Publisher and others) . All computers run a version of Windows and can connect to the internet. Software Available
Online ServicesAccess to online services is via the Internet.We can provide access to Lexis/Nexis through Lexis/Nexis Research Software 7.2 and other online services through the web. Note that to access most of these services, you must be enrolled in one of our online reference classes in which you will recieve a login and password that changes each semester. Access to the Internet and web is possible on all our computers connected
to the LAN. Our supported browser is currently Internet Explorer 6, however
Mozilla Firefox is available on some machines.
PrintingTo support our unique mission, we have not yet instituted a pay printing system like that used in the campus microlab system. We will be looking at this issue and may have to implement some form of charging soon. Since we are not an open facility, we reserve the right to restrict access to printers for non-SLIS student guests. Non-LIS students can not come to this facility in an attempt to bypass the printing charges in the UK microlabs. We do ask the LIS students print judiciously; before you print every web page, please consider if you need the whole page. You can often save lots of paper by just copying the relevant sections into Word and printing from there.Printing can be a little confusing. Be aware that the default printer is the laser printer at the front of the lab. Please avoid unnecessary printing. Again, this is because of the cost. After you send the job to the printer it may take a number of seconds to start printing, depending on how many jobs are ahead of you. BE PATIENT! Tell the computer to print once, each time you tell the computer to print you are printing another copy! If you have something printing out multiple times that you did not intend, check with one of the CAIT staff so we can stop the print job. We frown on printing multiple copies and may make you pay for extra copies depending on the circumstances. If you need multiple copies please use the copy machine. We try to keep track of the amount of paper we use by recording the date and ream number on a chart beside the printer. This chart has a date column and a Ream Number column. Each ream of paper should be numbered someplace on the outer wrapping. We ask that if the printer runs out of paper while you are using it and there is no one on duty in the lab, put the date and ream number onto the chart. Common Problems with PrintersNetworked printers can be used by all the computers. If you need assistance, ask the CAIT staff.If a printer fails to respond to a print command:
Excessive and personal printing on the laser printer is not permitted and may result in loss of printing privileges. |
