Computer pools hardware and software for 2008
The information on this web page is for all UniSA Program Directors, Course Coordinators and other staff involved in the delivery of courses using the University's General Purpose Computing Pools. We need a Pools Software Installation Request for any pool software changes required for courses in 2008.
- Background
- Standard pool/barn PC hardware
- Windows XP, Office 2007 and standard software
- Requests needed from schools for any changes to software for 2008
Background
- 37 General Purpose Computing Pools and Library Training Rooms (available as pools outside booked training sessions)
- 18 Computer Barns (including casual computing areas in campus Libraries)
- “WalkUp” PCs (for short-term email/web use only)
- a common set of “core” software installed in all pools/barns
- a
range of 120 additional (mostly) school-purchased software applications
(different set in each pool as requested for different courses)
Information Strategy and Technology Services manages the on-campus shared student IT facilities on the University’s 5 main campuses. These facilities include
Information on the locations of pools plus current software, hardware, opening hours, etc is available via the pools page UniSA Student Computer Pools
Standard pool/barn PC hardware
ISTS has a 3 year replacement cycle to keep student computer pool and computer barn equipment up to date and under warranty. The current standard PC configuration for general purpose pool and barn machines is as follows:
- Pentium 4 CPU
- LCD monitor (minimum 17" with 19" on all new purchases)
- sound cards and headphone sockets
- Floppy disk drive (for smaller files)
-
three options for transport and storage of large files
- USB ports on the front of the PC for use with USB "flash drive" or "thumb drive" file storage devices (faster and more convenient than CD-RW)
- DVD-R/CD-RW drive (with Roxio Direct-CD or Drag-to-Disk software) so students can use inexpensive re-writeable CD-RW disks to transport large data files
- Note that these are being progressively replaced with DVD-RW/CD-RW drives as end-of-warranty PCs are replaced.
Windows XP, Office 2007 and standard software for study period 2, 2008
Office 2007 Professional Plus will be the standard Office version from February 2008.
The standard operating environment in all the general purpose pools and barns will be:
- Microsoft Windows XP Professional
- Microsoft Office 2007 Professional Plus (including Word 2007, Excel 2007, PowerPoint 2007, Access 2007 and Outlook 2007)
- Microsoft Publisher 2007
- Microsoft Internet Explorer (currently version 7)
- Symantec Antivirus
- Adobe Acrobat (currently version 8)
- Ultimate Zip (WinZip-compatible file compression)
- Roxio Direct CD or Roxio Drag-to-Disk to read/write data files on CD-RW drives (software version has to match the CD-RW drive type)
- EndNote
- SSH Secure Shell (more secure alternative to Telnet)
Requests needed from schools for any changes to software for 2008
- Please ensure that a software installation request is completed, signed and sent via the IT Help Desk, Mawson Lakes for any application your school needs in the ISTS computer pools for 2008. We need requests at least 4 weeks ahead to allow time to schedule installation and testing of the software.
- You will need to attach documentation of current licences or documentation of why we don’t need a licence (e.g. for freeware, software publishers permission to use etc).
- Note that licences for course-related software are normally purchased by the requesting school(s).
- Send the installation software on CD or DVD (or network download location where appropriate)
- Draw attention to any study period 1, study period 7 or summer school requirements affected by this process (including which applications are needed, in which pools, on which dates)
- Please send a software removal request (the same form provides for that) for any software you know to be no longer required