CCC FAQ, posted at Tue Mar 15 06:01:02 EST 2005
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Last Edited: Thu Aug 8 16:24:43 EDT 2002 by [log in to unmask]
Version: 2.0
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Welcome to the CCC Faq.
0.0 What is the CCC?
CCC stands for "Campus Computing Coordinators", a mailing list designed to
support discussion of computing issues on and about the University of Florida,
in Gainesville, Florida.
Historically, CCC discussions have focused on the technical aspects of
providing computing services on campus. Many of the list members are
responsible for college or department level networks and computing services.
Messages may be sent to the CCC at [log in to unmask]
0.1 Where can I find the FAQ?
A: You're reading it, but it can also be found at:
ftp://ftp.cise.ufl.edu/pub/staff/asr/ccc-faq/FAQ
Table Of Contents:
1. Generalities, getting on, getting off, meta-traffic.
1.0 I support some computers on campus, too. can I join?
1.0.1 I'm on, how do I send to you all?
1.0.2 I want the CCC in digest form.
I only want an index of the digest.
I want listserv to confirm the messages I send to CCC.
I'm going on vacation. What do I do about CCC posts?
[ ... ]
1.1 I'm sick of all these messages. Can I leave?
1.2 Who else is here?
* 1.3 What kind of list is this?
1.3.1 Yeah, but someone just sent SUCH A STUPID MESSAGE....
1.3.2 Who's the listowner, and why?
* 1.4 You know, there was this message a week ago.. but I need it now.
* 1.5 Why did my message get returned? Are you censoring me?
* 1.5.1 You ARE censoring me!
* 1.5.2 But you wield the awesome, unanswerable power of..
1.6 I object to [facet q] about the managment of the CCC!
2. New things
2.1 I want to buy <x> software package. Is there a site license?
2.2 I'm thinking about buying a package for <some purpose>. Is there
a standard here at UF?
3. Old things
3.1 I have this piece-of-junk system. How do I get rid of it?
3.2 The sunshine law says I have to keep my email. What does
that _Really_ mean?
4. <x> is broken; Who do I call?
4.1 The net is broken; I can't reach a host off-campus.
4.2 The UF Intranet is broken; I can't reach a host on-campus.
8. Miscellaneous
8.1 How do I get the CD I'm burning to work automatically?
9. Contributors
1. Generalities, getting on, getting off.
1.0 I support some computers on campus, too. can I join?
Yes.
The CCC is managed by the mailing list manager "listserv", on the UF listserv
machine. If you would like to join, send to
[log in to unmask]
the message
subscribe ccc your-first-name your-last-name
1.0.1 I'm on, how do I send to you all?
Send mail to [log in to unmask]
1.0.2 I want the CCC in digest form.
I only want an index of the digest.
I want listserv to confirm the messages I send to CCC.
I'm going on vacation. What do I do about CCC posts?
[ ... ]
The answers to these and a wealth of other questions about
subscriber-configurable options may be found in LSOFT's online manuals. You
can reach them at
http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/user
and either browse them online, or download and print one of seven formats, in
as many as three delivery formats (Zip, .Z, .gz...)
This is really a fine resource for anyone managing or subscribed to one of
the centrally-managed UF lists.
1.1 I'm sick of all these messages. Can I leave?
Similarly, the unsubscription process is to send a message to
[log in to unmask]
the message
unsubscribe ccc
If you are subscribed to the CCC under an address to which you no
longer have access, please mail
[log in to unmask]
with the address you'd like removed. We'll take care of it.
1.2 Who else is here?
The general answer to that question is "Pretty much anyone who's got an
interest in the goings-on about computers at UF."
The specific answer to that question is available through yet another request
to [log in to unmask]: the line
review ccc
will elicit a listing of all the members. I call it recommended reading.
1.3 What kind of list is this?
Like many other really interesting questions, the answer to this is in flux.
In 2002, I began promulgating the notion that meta-CCC discussions
should be limited to a certain part of they year, because much of the
readership tires of them. This promulgation met with limited
success. We'll see how it does next year.
The idea is that, in the first full business week of the year, we
bring up these meta-topics, and argue about them. We make decisions
in the following few days, and then leave the topics alone.
The short, easy answer is that CCC is for the discussion of issues relating to
the support, planning, and development of the various computing environments
in and around UF.
In early 1999, it was resolved that, while vendor _responses_ to queries
made by UF types were more than welcome, we would prefer that vendors not
advocate directy to the CCC. Software proposals should go through
e.g. SODA, for comparison with extant offerings, evaluation of license
terms, etc. and be presented through the auspices of that office.
Other than these guidelines, what that includes and excludes is a matter for
discussion. I'll present my opinions; dissenting opinions will get included
here, too.
CCC is a good place for: (My opinions)
asking questions, no matter how dumb you think they are.
answering questions, no matter how lengthy.
reporting outages in access.
( though there are better places, too.. see section 4 )
Suggesting plans for UF's computing environment
Critiquing (on a technical basis, please) same.
Collecting UF folks for networking/computing conventions.
A clarification: some reports of anticipated (or experienced) outages may go
to the CCC, but we're not The Place for such things. The Place is
[log in to unmask], which is available either by subscription if you write
to [log in to unmask]
or by newsgroup (uf.mailing-lists.net-managers) or on the web
http://www.nerdc.ufl.edu/info-services/tp/
Other opinions:
Personal experience with new products/fixes others may have interest in
CCC is a bad place for: (My opinions)
Announcing that you're selling your house.
Posting the schedule for upcoming Girl Scout Cookie drives.
Announcing non-computer-related (or -affecting) current events.
Talking about what a yutz someone is.
Announcing barbequques.
Other opinions:
Posting egg-sucking songs
Asking questions and then expecting a private response.
Asking Questions about HOW TO USE a programming or markup language (as opposed
to how to manage the system which supports them).
Critiquing someone's mailer, spelling, grammar, or other feature of their
mailer habits. (If you can't restrain yourself, do it privately)
Stupid [expurged] [elided] [censored] chain mail.
1.3.1 Yeah, but someone just sent SUCH A STUPID MESSAGE....
If you've got a complaint about a message sent to the CCC, first off, always
complain to the poster. If you don't get satisfaction from that, feel free
to contact your listowner ([log in to unmask]) to complain. In general,
complaining to the list is a Bad Idea: meta-discussion sparked by a complaint
is seldom effective.
1.3.2 Who's the listowner, and why?
Your listowner is currently Allen Rout ([log in to unmask]). I'm the listowner
because I was the FAQ maintainer when the previous listowner didn't want the
job any more. Let that be a lesson to any of you who are considering
volunteering for something.
I'm employed at UF in several official capacities, but CCC listownership is
independant of any of these work duties: Allen the CCC listowner is a private
citizen who happens to be involved and interested in the UF computing
environment.
1.4 You know, there was a message a week ago.. but I need it now.
The LISTSERV archives of the CCC, dating back to 1997, may be found at
http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/ccc.html
Older archives of the CCC, dating back to January of 1992, can be found at
http://net-services.ufl.edu/~mhonarc/ccc/
The current month is also available at
http://net-services.ufl.edu/~mhonarc/ccc/current/
1.5 Why did my message get returned? Are you censoring me?
In 2002, the CCC was closed for sending. This means that only
subscribers may post to the list. Non-subscribers' messages are
forwarded to the moderator(s) for approval.
This decision was made in response to a growing tide of SPAM. There
was significant debate on the topic; I recommend looking into the
archives' records of spam complaints.
If you subscribed to the CCC under an address other than the one from
which you send mail, your messages may also be sent to the moderator(s).
You can re-subscribe under your new address, or you can wait for the
moderator(s) to attend to your message.
1.5.1 You ARE censoring me!
No, I'm not. I allow everything through that I can't immediately
diagnose as SPAM.
1.5.2 But you wield the awesome, unanswerable power of..
Stop that, it's silly
I'm trying to come up with a way to let another mailing list of
people, instead of an individual, be the primary target of the
moderation notifications. This list would then be just as open-access
as the CCC itself, so anyone who's interested could add themselves to
the moderation group.
1.6 I object to [facet q] about the managment of the CCC!
There exists a list, CCC-ADMIN-L, which will be the moderation group
if I ever get that to work. This list was especially created to
permit discusson of meta-CCC issues in a forum that is not inflicted
on the larger readership of the CCC. And belive me, much of the
readership so views those discussions.
2: New things.
2.1 I want to buy <x> software package. Is there a site license?
You can find the canonical answer to this at:
http://www.software.ufl.edu
3 Old things.
3.1 I have this piece-of-junk system. How do I get rid of it?
One excellent target for your used equipment is the Alachua Freenet Computer
Recycling Program, information on which can be found at:
http://www.afn.org/~recycle
[ Additional targets? Don't some local churches have similar programs? ]
There have been some questions about proper "surveying" of equipment, which
have been kindly answered for us by Randy Staples, who is the Coordinator of
Accounting for UF, in Property Services. Randy says:
> Florida Statute 273.055 (3) states:
> Custodians may dispose of property certified as surplus by:
> (a) Selling or transferring the property to any other governmental
> agency;
> (b) Selling or donating the property to any private non-profit agency;
>
> or
>
> (c) Selling the property through a sale open to the public.
> Normally, we attempt to have all equipment surveyed and brought to our
> Surplus Property Warehouse and make it available to other campus departments
> thus aiding in filing our University's needs. But, you can transfer the
> equipment directly.
> Since the Freenet is run by the local county government, items can be
> transferred to them. Local schools, churches and all other governmental and
> non-profit organizations are eligible.
> Simply prepare a standard Report of Survey listing the disposition request
> as "Other" and describe in the space provided to whom the equipment is to be
> transferred. The first boxed area will also need to be completed and a
> signature will need to be obtained from the receiving party. In cases of
> donations to non-profits, if it is not clearly obvious that the organization
> is non-profit (church, boy scouts, etc,), the organization will need to
> provide proof of non-profit status and this must be attached to the Report
> of Survey.
> If I can help you further, please contact me at 392-2556.
3.2 The sunshine law says I have to keep my email. What does that _Really_
mean?
Basically, it means you keep all the work-related mail you send or recieve for
at least 3 years. Chapter and Verse on this is available in Dr. Lombardi's
memo on the subject, available online at
http://www.ufcn.ufl.edu/email.htm
4. <x> is broken; Who do I call?
The networking answers in this section are distilled from the canonical
source,
http://net-services.ufl.edu
which may hold more up-to-date information.
4.1 The net is broken; I can't reach a host off-campus.
If the host is a typically busy one (Microsoft, Netscape, wuarchive, etc)
check around there and make sure that you're actually blocked, rather than
just seeking after a too-busy place.
Then, send a traceroute to [log in to unmask] explaining your
problem. If it's urgent, then also call 392-2061, which number is monitored
24/7.
4.2 The UF Intranet is broken; I can't reach a host on-campus.
First, touch base with your local net admin; make sure you are not
experiencing a local outage. That done, if you _can_ send mail, then again
send a problem report to net-services. Otherwise call 392-2061.
Once again, a traceroute with some indication of the problem extent is a first
step, and it would be useful if you could send it along.
8. Miscellaneous
8.1 How do I get the CD I'm burning to work automatically?
For Windows machines, getting a CD to work "automatically" is fairly
simple. Create a text file in the root of the CD called
AUTORUN.INF. The best way to explain is with an example file:
[AUTORUN]
OPEN=SETUP.EXE
ICON=QUAKE.ICO
The above is a complete three line AUTORUN.INF file. The second
line,
OPEN=SETUP.EXE
tells the Windows machine which program it should launch when the
CD is opened, either by inserting the CD into the machine, or (as
some machines have that feature disabled) by double clicking on the
icon for the CD. You can add a path as well, such as:
OPEN=BIN\SETUP.EXE
or even
OPEN=C:\WINDOWS\TRACERT.EXE GROVE.UFL.EDU
Note that without a drive letter, it defaults to the same drive which has
the AUTORUN.INF file.
The third line,
ICON=QUAKE.ICO
tells Windows what icon to use for the drive. The most common files
that contain icons are EXE, ICO, DLL, and ICL. In this case, Windows
will display the first icon in the file QUAKE.ICO for the CD.
You can put an optional comma and a number after the filename, to
specify which icon in the file to use. Note that icons start numbering
at zero, and that zero is also the default. The following lines do the
exact same thing:
ICON=QUAKE.ICO
ICON=QUAKE.ICO, 0
If a file does not contain an icon, or does not contain an icon at the
requested number, a default icon will appear (a blank page with a
small Windows system on it)
A good way to test it out, without burning multiple CDs, is to create
an AUTORUN.INF file on your C drive, then double click on "My
Computer" to get a window that shows it. After each change, hit the
F5 key, and the window will update itself, re-reading your INF and
changing the icon and the file that will be opened when you double
click on the drive.
9. Contributors:
Allan West <[log in to unmask]>
Allen S. Rout <[log in to unmask]>
Avi H. Baumstein <[log in to unmask]>
Dick Elnicki <[log in to unmask]>
Eric Oostinge <[log in to unmask]>
Fran McDonell <[log in to unmask]>
Greg Sabino Mullane <[log in to unmask]>
Hans van Oostrom <[log in to unmask]>
Jeff Mercer <[log in to unmask]>
Marcus Morgan <[log in to unmask]>
Stephen Ulmer <[log in to unmask]>
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