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Next: Counseling Services Up: Student Life and Previous: Career Development Center
Computing Facilities and Services
Campus-wide computing facilities include microcomputers, advanced work-stations, central computers, and a direct connection to an international computing network, INTERNET.
Academic central computing facilities are provided by a Digital Equipment Corporation VAX cluster. The VAX cluster was purchased in 1989 and consists of a networked MicroVAX 3300 and VAXstation 3100. The VAX cluster is located in Law Hall 203 and access is available from every academic building and via the telephone with a modem. Software available on this machine includes statistics software (Minitab, SPSS-X, SPSS graphics), programming languages (BASIC, FORTRAN, Pascal, C), file transfer (Kermit), and electronic mail, conferencing software, and access to the Internet.
There are clusters of microcomputers available to all students for word processing and other course-related work. These are located in the Library, the Learning Skills Center, The Commons, College Hall, Law Hall, Norton Geology Center, and West Science Center.
A fifteen-node Hewlett-Packard/Apollo graphics workstation laboratory is also available to students. This laboratory, completely upgraded in the summer of 1991, runs under the Unix operating system and X-windows. The network offers full-range language capability (Ada, C, C++, Lisp, Pascal, etc.), Mathematica, extensive graphics software, and a variety of special applications.
In the fall of 1991, Cornell connected to the Internet, an international computing network. Through this connection, students, faculty, and staff are able to access resources such as research libraries, data files, and professional colleagues world-wide. This network can be accessed from any machine connected to the VAX cluster or to the Hewlett Packard/Apollo network.
Many academic disciplines use computers in close conjunction with their instructional program. The Art Department maintains low-resolution and high-resolution (Lumena) computing environments for artists. The departments of Biology and Chemistry have a new laboratory of high-end PCs and Macintoshes with videodisk and CD-ROM to support scientific visualization and data analysis. The English Department maintains a computerized writing laboratory. The Geology Department uses a Geological Contouring workstation with plotter. The Department of Classical and Modern Languages uses computers for foreign language tutorials and composition. The Mathematics Department provides classroom-based Macintoshes as graphics tools in the Calculus sequence. The Music Department works with Finale music composition software in conjunction with a MIDI-based synthesizer and has developed a computerized eartraining laboratory. Computers are widely used in the sciences and social sciences for data collection, data analysis, simulations, and as scientific instruments.
The Office of Academic Computing, located in Prall House, is responsible for hardware and software support for the central academic VAX cluster, faculty microcomputers, and student laboratories. VAX accounts are available to the entire community and can be requested at the Academic Computing Office. The College employs over 40 student assistants to answer questions and solve problems in each computer laboratory. Workshops to teach interested students how to use the available software are provided several times each term. Academic Computing personnel are available to consult with interested users.
Next: Counseling Services Up: Student Life and Previous: Career Development Center
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