Overview

Today's session will provide you with an overview of academic computing at Wilkes, including the Wilkes1 mainframe system. By the end of today's session, you will know:

1. The nature and location of academic computing resources at Wilkes.

2. About the nature of the Wilkes1 system, particularly its capabilities.

3. About the policies for Wilkes Academic Computing Center.

4. The nature of Unix, including files and directories.

5. A few basic Unix commands.

6. How to log into your account on Wilkes1, and navigate among various directories.

Wilkes has a diverse array of computing resources on campus, and its assets are constantly evolving. The backbone is the IBM RS/6000 B50 minicomputer that was installed in mid-August 2001. That computer is connected to subnet servers located in several departments, and serves to host wilkes1.

By spring 2001, a second IBM RS/6000 B50 minicomputer will be installed, and will be used as a web server.

Administrative computing is handled by an IBM H80, which is also undergoing an upgrade. By spring, students will be able to register for courses on line.

Wilkes is undergoing a $200,000 network upgrade, that will increase the rate of data transfer from 10 Mbit/sec to100 Mbit/sec. New switchers, and an improved access to external internet servers will also be implemented in the coming months.

Scattered throughout campus are several labs containing Macintosh and Windows PC computers that are linked to the Internet, and have printing capabilities:

• Breiseth 006: 50 866 MHz Pentiums, 14 iMacs, scanners, color laser printer
• Breiseth 027 22 600 MHz Celeron PC's
• Breiseth 108: 33 1.2 Ghz PCs
• Breiseth 105: 33 iMacs
• SLC 403: 800 MHz Pentium III PC's
• SLC 349: 24 Macintosh G4's
• SLC 216: 24 PC's

See a review of Wilkes's Computer Use policies

Access to your Wilkes1 account is via Telnet; to enter you need to provide your login and password

Wilkes1 stores files that are organized into directories. It is possible to navigate around directories and access files by using appropriate commands. Typing those (and other) commands is done at a "wilkes1>" prompt.

Wilkes1 is controlled by a Unix operating system. See a site devoted to Unix.

All students have access to an account on the Wilkes1 network. The next part of today's session is geared toward having you learn how to log on to Wilkes1, navigate through directories, identify files, and properly log out.

Long ago (before ca. 1997), accessing Wilkes1 was done by special dedicated terminals located throughout campus. Now, personal computers have largely replaced those terminals, and can emulate their action.

You will be able to access Wilkes1 using an application called "telnet." That application can be launched from your desktop, or through your web-browser. Since you are already using your browset, let's use that option.

To do:

1. In the web-address window on your browser, type the command

telnet://wilkes1.wilkes.edu

2. Wait until the telnet program launches and prompts you to log in.

3. Type your login name.

4. Type your password exactly as given on your card. Note that your password should not appear on the screen.

If you are successful, you should see a bunch of information about your account scroll by. If you are not successful, retype your login and password, taking care to get every character correct. Please note that if you fail to log-in on three consecutive attempts, telnet will spontaneously quit. You would need to start it back up by following Step 1.

To see what files and directories are in your account:

1. Type the letters "ls" (without the quotations).

How many named items do you have? How many are files? How many are directories? How can you tell?

Next, see where you are in the directory hierarchy.

1. Type "cd ~"

Now navigate into my account and see what web documents I have there.

1. Type "cd .." as many times as it takes to get you into the directory "/home/acad"

2. Type "cd staff"

3. Type "cd kklemow"

4. Type "cd webdocs"

5. Type "ls"

Now go back to your own account.

1. Type "cd ~"

Now log out

1. Type "logout"