News about nformation systems throughout MIT
Volume 12 • NumberI/S 2 N o v e m b e r / D e c e m b e r 1 9 9 6 . . . MIT Alumni/ae Association E-Mail Forwarding for Life . . Tests Its First Online Service The first ANS to be offered is E-Mail . Forwarding for Life (EFL). EFL provides . Lee Ridgway . a permanent, lifetime e-mail address . . that acts as a forwarding service: . MIT Press Releases Third Edition . A t a place like MIT, creating on- messages sent to an alum’s EFL address . of The New Hacker’s Dictionary ...... 2 . line services for alumni sounds like a are automatically forwarded to that . . natural thing to do, and this is what person’s actual e-mail address. Alumni Software Spotlight . registered for EFL will be able to up- . the MIT Alumni/ae Association is PageMill Lets You Create Web . about to launch with its Alumni Net- date their e-mail address in the ANS . Pages without Knowing HTML ...... 3 . work Services (ANS). The impetus for system and are, in fact, responsible . for keeping it current. Network Notes . ANS came from two directions: . EFL is now undergoing beta testing . • In 1994, surveys conducted for the How to Tame the “Time Out of . by volunteers from the 1996 graduating . Association’s Long-Range Strategic Bounds” Error ...... 4 . class and the Class of 1991. Plans are . Planning Committee indicated that Computer Corner . to have the testers put EFL through its ...... 4 . alumni wanted services which only . paces for two months. During this time, MIT Computer Connection/ . MIT could provide, including better . changes may be made to the system in Bits and Bytes . alumni directory services. Alums . also wanted to see more creative response to feedback from the testers. Silicon Graphics Introduces . If all goes well, the Association will . use of technology in delivering O2 Desktop Workstations ...... 5 . begin a staged rollout of EFL to all . these services. . alumni early in 1997. PC Service to Repair Dell . • Advances in interactive network . Once EFL is in place, the next Computers ...... 5 . services, including the World Wide . service will be a searchable online . Web, were providing relatively Publishing Pointers . alumni directory. . easy ways to make extensive infor- RTFtoHTML 3.0 Converts Word . Access to ANS, and to EFL, is . mation available over the Internet. through the Alumni Network Services Processing Files into HTML ...... 6 . . The Alumni/ae Association recog- Gateway at . IS Launches IT Partners . nized that the Internet, and especially http://web.mit.edu/alum/ans/ Program for Local Experts ...... 6 . the Web, could be the basis for online . Because of the way security and . services for alumni. This technology New Directions for the . authentication are being handled for . would also make it easier for alumni to Macintosh Operating System ...... 7 . ANS, Netscape Navigator 2.0 or later . maintain their connections with MIT . is the recommended browser for ac- Getting Help ...... 8 . and other alums, thereby fostering a . cessing the system. Other browsers . greater sense of “virtual” community. Recent Publications from . will be evaluated during the beta test. . In 1995, a Committee on Online Information Systems...... 8 . Details on browser setup and connect- . Communications was formed with a . ing will be included in the notices to . broad representation of alumni, and . alumni about registering for ANS.
charged with developing a plan to ▲ . . deliver network services to alumni. continued on page 2 ▼ Recipients of messages forwarded Under Consideration ALUMNI NETWORK SERVICES through EFL receive them via their EFL and a searchable alumni direc- continued from page 1 regular e-mail service. Header informa- tory are just the first two of a range of tion will always indicate when a mes- possible online alumni services. Other EFL Registration and Formats sage has come through EFL. EFL is not services being considered are Alumni register for ANS and EFL an e-mail service itself and messages •Publishing a calendar of Alumni/ae through a series of Web pages. The are not stored on any of the ANS or Association and MIT events around alum sets up an ANS username and EFL servers. the world password, and supplies other infor- mation that will authenticate him or Privacy Concerns •Enabling online registration for MIT her as a bona fide MIT alum. Part of In using the Internet to deliver ser- and Alumni/ ae Association events the information includes the e-mail vices to alumni, the Association is well •Publishing an electronic version of address to which the alum wants aware of the need to guarantee – as much Technology Review’s ClassNotes and messages forwarded. as possible – a secure environment that CourseNews sections protects privacy and personal informa- The format for EFL addresses is •Providing career assistance [email protected], where name tion. This is particularly crucial when it comes to online directory informa- •Setting up chat and newsgroups is some form of the alum’s name and around topics of interest to alums class is the year of graduation. A sample tion. When an alum logs onto ANS with address for an undergraduate alum Netscape, data transmitted between •Making some MIT Libraries’ would be:
MIT Press Releases Third Edition In 1991, The MIT Press published of The New Hacker’s Dictionary the first edition of The New Hacker’s Dictionary – a polished version of the MIT Information Systems Jargon File edited by Eric Raymond. You may not be a computer whiz, but Managing Editor More than just a lexicon, the Dictionary Robyn Fizz with The New Hacker’s Dictionary in tow included essays about hacker culture Writer/Editor you can decode much of the cryptic and cartoons by Guy L. Steele Jr. A Lee Ridgway slang used by the hacker crowd at MIT second edition was published in 1993. i/s is published six times a year on a bimonthly and beyond. This lexicon, now in its The third edition, published in schedule. MIT faculty and staff receive copies third edition, gives you the lowdown October, has more than 100 new en- through campus mail; i/s is also available in lob- on cybercrud, laser chicken, and raster tries and 200 updated ones. The essays bies around campus. Individuals at MIT may subscribe by contacting the managing editor. burn. Find out (in the shelter of your and cartoons are still insightful and own room) if you’re a lurker, luser, entertaining. Reading the lexicon is Send comments or subscription requests to: or lion food. MIT 11-309, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, also great fun, since wordplay is a Cambridge, MA 02139-4307 Origins hallmark of many hacker terms. Phone: (617) 253-0540 Electronic mail:
. . 2 . i/s . . Software Spotlight
PageMill Lets You Create Web One major drawback in PageMill’s Pages without Knowing HTML implementation of tables is that you must format the contents of each cell Robyn Fizz separately. This can lead to a lot of repetitive handwork. A dobe Systems recently released Forms PageMill 2.0 for the Macintosh. (The PageMill has adequate tools for Windows version is scheduled to ship forms creation, although you can create in late November.) PageMill is Web The graphic from PageMill’s only one form per Web page. Form ele- page creation software “for the rest of packaging was adapted for use ments include text fields, checkboxes, us” – that is, content providers who in the Preview Mode button. radio buttons, pop-up lists, password don’t want to learn the intricacies of fields, and submit and reset buttons. HyperText Markup Language (HTML). While PageMill helps you design PageMill 1.0 was a pioneering done. Edit mode offers a two-row forms, it is a CGI script on a Web product, but fell short in many ways. Toolbar with buttons for formatting server that receives and processes the The new version adds features and text, aligning elements, creating forms, form data. Unless you are running your flexibility that meet the primary needs and manipulating tables. own Web server, you will probably use of Web page designers. PageMill 2.0 Another key part of PageMill’s the “cgiemail” script on web.mit.edu, includes interface is the Inspector, a floating which sends the data as e-mail to an • Support for tables, including tables palette with four tabbed panels for address you specify. After you create imported from Microsoft Excel working with the current page, forms, your Web forms, contact the CWIS frames, and objects. • Support for frames group at
. . 4 . i/s . . The file manager lets users view MIT Computer Connection/Bits and Bytes a Web site via a split window. The bottom portion displays the Web site, while the top portion lists the files that Silicon Graphics Introduces make up its content. Users can select O2 Desktop Workstations these files and drag and drop them Ginny Williams onto their desktop, or publish them using the Web authoring tools that come bundled with the system. S ilicon Graphics recently unveiled The O2 documentation and help its O2 desktop line. These workstations system is completely Web-based; it offer an integrated approach to 3D runs locally on the user’s machine. imaging, audio and video processing, Ordering from the MCC and compression, making them a good The MCC sells O2 workstations by choice for CAD modeling, scientific special order. Buyers customize the visualization, and Web site creation. base system at the time the order is Technical Specifications placed – configuration choices include The O2 desktop family is based on amount of memory, processor type, hard drive, monitor, and optional a high-performance Unified Memory Screen image of underwater camera equipment. Architecture (UMA). The new systems courtesy of Katz Design. Image courtesy SGI also offers solution bundles ship with either a 64-bit MIPS RISC of Silicon Graphics, Inc. R5000 or R10000 processor. that include software for specific pur- The O2 features 32-bit, double poses: two examples are the Modeler FastTrack Server 2.0, and Insignia buffered graphics. With hardware- bundle and the WebFORCE bundle. SoftWindows. SoftWindows supports accelerated 3D graphics and texture- Retail pricing for O2 base systems a range of applications running under mapping features, the O2 line delivers ranges from $5,995 to $9,995. The MCC Microsoft Windows 3.1 or, optionally, real-time, photo-realistic interactivity. price range for these systems is $4,000 Windows 95. The O2 ships with a new version of to $6,600. For more information about the company’s UNIX-based operating Web-Friendly User Interface O2 workstations, call the MCC at x3- system, IRIX 6.3, which is backward The O2 graphical user environment 7686. You may also want to check out compatible. O2s also come bundled integrates Internet and Intranet pub- the Silicon Graphics Web site at with Netscape Navigator 3.0, Netscape lishing and file transfer capabilities. http://www.sgi.com ø
PC Service to Repair Dell and labor. (Not all repairs are covered IBM, with repairs done in-house, as Computers by warranty – for example, repairs well as maintenance contracts for Linda Lancaster required due to accident or abuse are DEC, Sun, and SGI, with repairs done not covered.) In the second and third by vendors under contract to MIT. years, the warranty covers parts only. If you have a computer that needs A s of December 1, PC Service in Dell offers a warranty upgrade for repair, you can call PC Service to re- W20-028 will be authorized as a Dell the second and third years at an attrac- quest pickup from an Institute office. Premier Service Provider. PC Service tive price – currently $99 – if bought You will need to provide the location will be able to provide warranty ser- at the same time as the computer. With of the equipment, a contact name and vice if it is selected as the warranty service a warranty upgrade, parts and labor phone number, and a brief description provider at the time the Dell computer is are covered for the full three years. of the problem. Pickup is typically purchased. The MIT Computer Connection done the next day. Unlike Apple, Dell requires that in W20-021 can sell Dell warranty There is no charge for repair esti- the warranty service provider be cho- upgrades at the time of hardware mates from PC Service. Their current sen at the time of hardware purchase. purchase. To buy a warranty upgrade labor rate for work not covered by Currently, the default warranty ser- afterwards, you need to contact Dell warranty is $50 per hour. Payment vice provider is BancTec, U.S.A. Dell for a price quote and buy the upgrade may be made by MIT requisition or, computers sold previously by the MIT directly from Dell. for personally owned equipment, by Computer Connection have BancTec check, MasterCard, or VISA. Other PC Service Offerings as the warranty service provider. PC Service is open Monday PC Service has provided computer After the warranty expires, PC through Friday, 8am to 5pm. For hardware services to the MIT commu- Service can repair any Dell computer. information about Dell repair nity since 1984. In addition to its new Dell Warranties and Upgrades services or other PC Service Dell offering, PC Service repairs Apple Dell computers typically come with offerings, send e-mail to computers and printers, IBM PCs, and a 3-year hardware warranty. The first
RTFtoHTML 3.0 Converts Word If you do no more than these two size you wish, and then use the same Processing Files into HTML steps, RTFtoHTML will make its best designations to specify the level of Suzana Lisanti guess as to what constitutes a heading, heading to be used on your Web pages. subheading, and so on. The conversion Platforms and Purchase works nicely with Word tables, con- RFTtoHTML 3.0 has been released o you have Microsoft Word verting them to HTML tables without D for Macintosh, DOS/Windows, and documents that you’d like to convert manual coding. Any charts or graphics selected UNIX platforms. The new to Web pages? A new release of an in your Word file will automatically version adds support for many HTML excellent shareware program can help be converted to GIF images and saved extensions that have been added since you convert these documents auto- in the same folder as the document. RTFtoHTML was first developed. matically, one by one or a folder at a RTFtoHTML will even create links to To get a copy of RTFtoHTML 3.0, time. The program, RTFtoHTML 3.0, the images. is being used at MIT to convert the go to the Web page Reports to the President and Dealing Single-Source Publishing http://www.sunpack.com/RTF/ with Harassment. If you plan ahead, you can use latest/ RTFtoHTML as a tool for single-source At the simplest level, the process and select the link for your platform. publishing – using the same file for involves two steps: you first save the RTFtoHTML 3.0 is shareware, paper and on-screen versions. This document from Word to Rich Text unlike previous versions, which were capability is based on using the Styles Format (RTF), and then use the con- free. If you try out RTFtoHTML 3.0 for feature in your word processor, and version program to turn the RTF into 30 days and plan to continue using it, gives you a lot of control with very HypertText Markup Language (HTML). be sure to send in the $29 shareware little investment of time. For example, Most word processors can export their fee. For details, see documents in RTF format (look at the you can customize Word’s existing http://www.sunpack.com/RTF/ formats listed in your word processor’s styles “heading 1” and “heading 2” License.htm ø “Save as…” dialog box). to print in the exact font face and
IS Launches IT Partners Concerns and Suggestions The local experts suggested ways Program for Local Experts Concerns voiced in this session the Help Desk could offer assistance. Susan B. Jones ranged from how the Institute recog- These included pairing local experts nizes the work of local experts to un- with consultants, and setting up a certainty about which platforms can process for quickly escalating problem O n October 2, 65 members of the run SAP, MIT’s new financial system. reports from local experts to IS experts. MIT community, representing 59 depart- A recurring theme was how in- After the brainstorming session, ments, gathered for the first meeting formation gets communicated. Local Costello moderated a panel of IS staff of the IT (Information Technology) experts felt that IS needs to find a way (Harold Pakulat, Theresa Reagan, and Partners Program. These staff were to disseminate information about soft- Al Willis) who spoke about the status invited because they function as com- ware and operating systems quickly of the Help Desk, SAP, and IS support puter experts in their departments. and in a way that gets their attention. of Macintosh and Windows operating About 20 IS staff also attended. Web pages, they suggested, are good systems (see “New Directions for the The purpose of IT Partners is to cre- for distributing information, but an Macintosh Operating System” on p. 7 ate a mutual technical support structure e-mail alert mechanism would also be for issues related to old and new for IT professionals at MIT. Recognizing useful. Telephone alerts were suggested Macintosh operating systems.) for situations in which networks were that local office experts are often the Into the Future down and e-mail inaccessible. first line of computing assistance, IS IT Partners plans to meet twice a One topic that provoked a lot of hopes to forge a partnership that rec- year and perhaps more frequently for discussion was the IS Computing Help ognizes and supports this contribution. targeted sessions on technical issues. Desk. Issues included response time The event began with welcoming IS has created a Web page for IT and procedures. Participants suggested remarks from Mike Sampson, Program Partners at Coordinator; Jim Bruce, Vice President that the new Help Desk tracking tool, http://web.mit.edu/itpartners/ for Information Systems; and Bill Hogue, Scopus, might be used to gather statis- Director of the IS Support Process. tics to demonstrate how having local This page has an application form for Joanne Costello, Coordinator for IT experts in departments affects the flow those who wish to become IT Partners. Support Planning, then led participants of calls to the Help Desk. Local experts Benefits of joining may include use of an in a brainstorming session about their also expressed a desire to have access unpublished Help Desk phone number, needs for IT support and frustrations to Scopus to track the status of calls free seats in training classes, and inclu- with current support from IS. from their departments. sion on an IT Partners mailing list. ø
. . 6 . i/s . . New Directions for the company to release system software What To Do Macintosh Operating System like 7.5.5 that still runs on machines Macintosh managers and users on that were manufactured ten years ago. campus need to start evaluating their Albert Willis By developing system software current situation with respect to 68030 only for machines that are 32-bit clean, and earlier Macintoshes (roughly six A pple Computer has announced Apple will be able to make future ver- years or older). It’s important to assess that the current version of the Macin- sions of the Mac OS more robust. This how many of these machines a group tosh Operating System – 7.5.5 – will be strategy also paves the way for fea- or department has, and what they are the last to support Macintoshes without tures that have been in the planning being used for. 32-bit clean ROMs. Models that are not stages for a while. If you have older Macintoshes that 32-bit clean include the Mac Plus, SE, These changes in direction won’t are being used to perform Institute SE FDHD, Classic, Portable, Power- have any noticeable effect for some business, and you expect to make the Book 100, II, IIx, IIcx, SE/30, and LC. time. Software that works on older transition to new applications such as Before considering the implications Macintoshes will continue to work, SAP, it’s time to start planning for of Apple’s announcement, it’s worth and software developers will continue new machines. understanding what being 32-bit clean to support these machines in the short Information Systems is working is all about. term. However, as time goes on, de- on guidelines for when you should velopers will gradually drop support upgrade or continue to use your exist- Being Clean for older Macintoshes. Microsoft has ing Macintosh models, depending on The Macintosh ROM (Read Only announced that the next version of their typical application use. That doc- Memory) contains a series of routines Office will run only on PowerPC- ument should be available by the time known as the Memory Manager. Soft- based Macintoshes, for example. you read this article. For more infor- ware written for the Macintosh calls mation, including the latest Macintosh Consequences the Memory Manager to get memory recommendations from IS, check the on Campus for its use. Web page at In addition to the The original Macintosh was based http://web.mit.edu/desktop/ on the 68000 microprocessor. While the issue of developers 68000 was a 32-bit microprocessor – it gradually drop- If you’ll need to buy new equipment, used 32 bits for every memory address – ping support for the good news is that all Macintoshes it physically had only 24 address lines. older Macintoshes, based on the PowerPC chip (both This meant that only 24 of the 32 bits newer components Power Macintoshes and clones) will were meaningful. Apple’s Memory of the Mac OS are critical for running run current and future operating sys- Manager took advantage of this fact some widely used applications on tems from Apple and support CFM by using three of the unused bits to campus. The SAP financial system and and Open Transport. SAP and connec- keep track of the status of memory Tether dialup service are two applica- tion software for the Tether service blocks. Creative third-party program- tions that require newer system soft- will also run smoothly on PowerPC mers used the remaining five bits for ware components in order to run on machines. Macintoshes connected to MITnet. their own purposes. Now and Near Future: 7.5.5. and 7.6 For security reasons, SAP requires When System 7.0 was introduced As was mentioned in the previous a software component called Code in 1991, it came with a new version of issue of i/s (Sept./Oct. 1996, page 4), Fragment Manager (CFM). CFM has the Memory Manager that used all 32 System 7.5.5 is an update for users been part of the system software of all bits of a memory address. Programmers who are running System 7.5.3. The Power Macintoshes, but is optional for who wanted to be fully compatible update is available from Apple’s 680x0 machines. CFM requires a 68020 with System 7.0 had to make their various ftp sites, as well as the CSS or greater processor, System 7.1 or programs 32-bit clean – clean in the File Server in the IS-CSS AppleTalk higher, and 32-bit addressing turned sense that their programs didn’t make zone; the path is Public:AppleSoftware: on. This means that SAP will never be use of any bits of a memory address. SystemSoftware:System 7.5.5 Update. able to run on machines with 68000 System 7.0 was the first Macintosh The planned January 1997 release processors (like the Plus and SE), and Operating System (Mac OS) that could of the Mac OS (version 7.6) will run that machines which aren’t 32-bit clean address more than 8 MB of memory – on all Macintoshes except for the ones may not be able to run SAP securely. but only if 32-bit addressing was mentioned at the beginning of this ar- Open Transport, Apple’s new net- turned on. A software company called ticle. System 7.6 consolidates several working software, has requirements Connectix created Mode32, a utility components that have been available similar to CFM, except that it requires that allowed some non-32-bit-clean separately, such as OpenDoc and a 68030 or greater processor to run. Macintoshes (II, IIx, IIcx, and SE/30) Cyberdog. It will also include the Open Transport will be required by to run in 32-bit mode. Models with latest versions of QuickTime, Quick- Apple’s new Point to Point Protocol older ROMs (Mac Plus, SE, Classic, Draw 3D, Open Transport, and Open (PPP) client, which IS will use in the and Portable) don’t support Mode32. Transport PPP, Apple’s PPP client. near future to support its Tether ser- Implications vice. While older versions of the PPP Concerns Although some users may feel left software will continue to work for If you have questions concerning behind by Apple’s announcement, older Macintoshes and the Tether Macintosh system software and sup- Apple has actually supported older service, the third parties who devel- ported models, contact the Computing hardware a lot longer than most ven- oped the PPP programs are no longer Help Desk at
If you don’t know where to get help For help with... Dial... Or send a message to... for your computer, network, or telephone problems, call the IS Help Athena Computing Environment 3-4435 [email protected] Line, x3-2001 – or direct dial one of Athena hardware repairs 3-1410 [email protected] the help lines listed to the right. Computer sales 3-7686 [email protected] If you prefer to use e-mail, you can send your questions to the correspond- DEC and Sun software 3-6320 [email protected] ing addresses on the far right. (When Disabilities and computing 3-7808 [email protected] logged into Athena, you can also use IS mainframes 3-7230 [email protected] olc the command to send questions Microcomputer and printer repairs 3-0815 [email protected] to Athena’s online consultants.) For a complete list of services Microcomputer use 3-0001 [email protected] offered by Information Systems, Networks/MITnet 3-4101 [email protected] see the Web page at Telephone repairs 3-4357 [email protected] http://web.mit.edu/is/ Voice mail 3-3677 [email protected]
Recent Publications from Information Systems
. These publications are free. You can Order No.. Title . pick up copies in the MIT Computer . . Connection, W20-021, or in the racks AC-15 . Dialing into Athena, Version 7 . outside E19-630. Most of these publi- . http://web.mit.edu/olh/Dialup/ . cations are on the World Wide Web. BR-12 . Adaptive Technology for Information and Computing at MIT . To view them, use the URLs listed . (revised) beneath the titles. . . http://web.mit.edu/atic/www/atic.html You can also request IS publications . NS-14.4b . Welcome to MITnet (revised) by calling x3-5150 or sending e-mail . . to
MIT Information Systems
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