CMSC 201 NEWS

Announcements

• Change in Office Hours

  Due to numerous CSEE Depatment meetings this week, I have to change my office hours. The new hours are on Monday from noon to 2:00 PM.    I will not be available on Tuesday.

• Townhall Meeting

  There will be a townhall meeting on October 29, 2007 in UC312 noon-1pm, with freshman students majoring, minoring, or interested in majoring in ComputerScience.

  The meeting is organized by the CMSC Undergraduate Program Director (Dr. Kalpakis) and the Staff of the CSEE Department. The Chairman of the CSEE Dept. (Dr. Nicholas) will be joining the meeting.

  The purpose of the meeting is discuss the experiences and challenges our new students as Computer Science majors/minors. Pizza and light refreshments will be served. Hope all of you can join us.

  Please RSVP by going to the section on "CMSC Surveys" of the "Computer Science Undergraduate Program" Blackboard community.

  Thank you and looking forward meeting you all.

  -- Konstantinos Kalpakis, Ph.D. Associate Professor Undergraduate Computer Science Program, Director

• Linux Users' Group Installfest

  Whether it's for a class you're taking or just simple curiosity, bring your machine and we'll help put the Linux distribution of your choice on it.

  Our next InstallFest will take place on Sunday, September 23rd, 2007 from 10am to 2:30pm at the Commons Main Street.

  What to bring:

  • your machine
  • monitor
  • keyboard/mouse
  • cables (including power)
  • power strip
  • money for pizza
  • Linux distribution of choice
    (optional - The LUG has a supply of Ubuntu 6.06 CDs)

  If you have the fortitude to climb the learning curve, we'll guide you through the install process. For more details, attend a meeting!

• Your Quota

  Keep an eye on your quota!! Each user is given a certain amount of disk space (100MB) on the GL network. If you exceed this disk space, we cannot send you email (i.e. project grades) and you can't create files (i.e. project files) To check your quota, at the linux prompt, type:

  linux3[16]% quota -v
  Volume Name                   Quota      Used %Used   Partition
  user.dforna1                  75000     55198   74%         69%
  

  This will show how much disk space your are using. If the percentage used is approaching 100%, you need to clean up your account. This can be done by typing the following at the linux prompt:

  linux3[17]% oitcleaner 
  This is the cleaner that we want
  Volume Name                   Quota      Used %Used   Partition
  user.dforna1                  250000    55198   74%         69%  
  **** Start Quota                    ****
  **** Start: Cleaning Internet Files ****
  find: /afs/umbc.edu/users/d/f/dforna1/home/.2kprofile/Application Data/Mozilla/Profiles: No such file or directory
  **** Done:  Cleaning Internet Files ****
  **** Start: Cleaning Misc. Files    ****
  find: No match.
  rm: remove `/afs/umbc.edu/users/d/f/dforna1/home/file.c~'? y
  rm: No match.
  rm: No match.
  rm: No match.
  rm: No match.
  **** Done:  Cleaning Misc. Files    ****
  **** Finding Large Files            ****
  rm: remove `/afs/umbc.edu/users/d/f/dforna1/home/cs104FA01.tar.gz'? n
  rm: remove `/afs/umbc.edu/users/d/f/dforna1/home/gifs/menu3.gif'? y
  rm: remove `/afs/umbc.edu/users/d/f/dforna1/home/gifs/menu3.bmp'? y
  **** Finished                       ****
  Volume Name                   Quota      Used %Used   Partition
  user.dforna1                  250000    52913   71%         69%  
  **** End Quota                      ****
  
  

  This script will clear out some unnecessary files in your account. It will also ask you if you want to delete any large files it finds. You must answer either y or n when it prompts you to remove. Make sure to remove any files named core.[followed by four digits].

  For more information about your quota, visit the following OIT Web site: http://www.umbc.edu/oit/sans/helpdesk/afs/afs_disk_quota.htm

• .emacs

  EMACS -- when emacs (or xemacs) begins, it looks for and reads a file named .emacs in your home directory to obtain configuration information. Save the CS201 recommended version of the .emacs file (note the leading "dot") in your Unix home directory to get the following features:

  • Automtic formatting in accordance with the CS201 coding style standard
  • A working backspace key. Backspace will now delete to the left of the cursor instead of invoking "help". It also remaps CTL-X? to be the new "help" key.

  The .emacs file is publicly available in the directory

  /afs/umbc.edu/users/b/o/bogar/pub

  To copy the file, 'cd' to your home directory and type the command
  

  cp /afs/umbc.edu/users/b/o/bogar/pub/.emacs .

  Don't forget the dot (.) at the end... it means copy the file to the current directory.

  Enjoy!