|
The SGI
server and workstations are now running IRIX 6.5.26. This
release of the operating system rolls in security fixes and
corrects bugs in the compilers, among other
things.
- Both
Netscape and Mozilla web browsers are now available. Both
are still slow and crash-prone.
- UCSF
Chimera and the latest version of Modeller have been
installed.
- The
newest versions of NAMD and VMD (which could not be
installed on previous versions of IRIX) have now been
installed.
- Reconcile
your
~/.login
and
~/.cshrc
files with
/etc/stdlogin
and
/etc/stdcshrc
respectively (on
WART
only).
- Screen
locking on SGI workstations have been disabled. Any user
who locks the screen by any means will have his or her
account suspended on that machine.
The MacOS
X servers and workstations have undergone several updates.
The following problems have been eliminated for several
months now.
- At
one time, the server will lose track of you if you are
logged in while your machine goes into sleep mode. This
problem has now been eliminated. You can remain logged
into your account for as long as you like. However, you
are encouraged to log out in the weekend to
give
the system administrator (who
is good enough not to interrupt you during the
week)
a chance
to update the server and your machine.
- At
one time, the server dismounts disks that it has imported
from the SGI and LINUX servers and users have to log into
the server to force a remount. This has now been fixed.
You
should no longer log into the server
directly.
The
following are some of the new and updated programs on MacOS
X.
- EndNote
8 is now installed on all machines. You can use
Cite-While-You-Work in Microsoft Word 2004 now. Note that
databases, once converted for version 8, cannot be used
with the older programs.
- Modeller
and Ribbons have been updated and UCSF Chimera has been
installed on all machines. Check the "Curator" account to
see if you need to reconcile your
~/.cshrc
file with
DOT-cshrc
(in the
Shared/Resources/
folder).
- Adobe
Reader 7 replaces previous versions of the program known
as Acrobat Reader. You can fill in PDF forms (e.g. the
Federal and Georgia tax forms) with this program instead
of using the full version of Acrobat (which are one or
two versions behind on all machines).
- The
Macintosh version of Microsoft Internet Explorer is not
such a security nightmare as the Windows version.
Nevertheless, this program is no longer supported and
Microsoft has not updated it for many months. Use this
web browser only if Bill Gates is holding a gun to your
head.
- If
you need a web browser and you want an alternative to
Safari, try Firefox 1.0, which is now installed on all
machines.
Please
report any remaining problems. The one known issue is the
following:
- Every
now and then, you log into a MacOS X workstation and you
are told that your home folder is not in its usual place.
The solution is to logout and log back in. The second
login attempt should succeed. If you do not login a
second time, you will be working with a local cached copy
of your home directory, which will likely disappear when
you next log in.
|