Lab Policy (Ellison 2610, Star Lab)

Access:

Lab hours:  Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Students have access to the lab during class and during regularly scheduled lab access hours.  During the week of August 6, however, the lab has been reserved for use by another group in the afternoon.  Some access will be available in the evening by request only during this week.  An alternative will be to use the computing facility located on the first floor of Phelps.

Computing Information:

Since the computers in the Star Lab do not require accounts to log in, information and files saved to a specific machine are not accessible from another machines, nor is there a guarantee that they will not be erased.  It is recommended that files be saved to a zip disk or floppy disk, both of which may be purchased at the UCSB Bookstore.

Software available for use in the Star Lab includes ArcGIS, ArcView, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, Netscape, and Internet Explorer.

Internet Explorer

To save Internet Explorer favorites:

In Internet Explorer, under the 'File' menu, choose 'Import and Export...'  This opens a wizard which will walk you through the procedure for importing and exporting your Favorites.  To export, choose 'Export Favorites'.  This will then open a window which allow you to choose which Favorites and Folders to export.  Export to a file, and double check to make sure the file location is on your floppy or zip disk.  The 'Browse' button will allow you to navigate to the location you wish to save the file.

To add new favorites:

You can either import your saved favorites from your floppy or zip disk or create new favorites in a separate folder and export only that folder.  After importing favorites and making additions and changes, remember to export your favorites to your floppy or zip disk.

Netscape

To save Netscape bookmarks:

  1. From the main Netscape window, choose 'Communicator', 'Bookmarks', 'Edit Bookmarks'
  2. A new window will open listing all your bookmarks, under 'File', choose 'Save As...'
  3. Save the file (bookmark.htm or another name of your choosing) on your floppy or zip disk
  4. You will then be able to open this file as a regular web page and access the links. 

To add new bookmarks in Netscape:

  1. From the main Netscape window, choose 'Communicator', 'Bookmarks', 'Edit Bookmarks' window
  2. Under 'File', choose 'Import...'
  3. Highlight your bookmark file located on your disk, and click 'Open'
  4. Your bookmarks should now be locally available and you should be able to add new entries
  5. When done adding bookmarks, you'll need to save them again

Alternative Method

One method for organizing and maintaining your bookmarks or favorites is to create a web page (.html file) through MS Word and save this file to your floppy or zip disk as an html file.  When surfing the web, keep this Word file open, and as you discover websites of interest, highlight the URL in the address window, hit Control-C (to copy), move to the open Word file, place the cursor where you would like to add the new information, and hit Control-V (paste).  Add a descriptive title to help you remember what the web page is.  Don't forget to save this file frequently!

Printing:

Printing of files is available in the Star Lab, within reason.  Reasonable use means limiting the number of copies of a single paper to one printout and not printing huge graphic files.  Also, remember that large print jobs impact everyone, and require outside assistance in deleting if there are problems.  Personal and non-class materials are not to be printed at any time.  

Laboratory Security:

The Star Lab contains valuable materials and access to even more valuable data and software. If these materials (physical or intellectual) are stolen or corrupted, your educational experience in this class will be jeopardized. For your own benefit you must take some simple safety precautions:
  1. If you are the last person to leave the Lab you must close all of the windows and close the door. The door will lock by itself. If this policy is not voluntarily met, the Lab will be locked after 5pm and on weekends with no access during that time.
  2. No food or drink is allowed in the Lab.
  3. The Lab is for Geography students only, and resources are limited. Do not allow friends, relatives, or pets to use the facility. If you see someone using the Lab who is not a Geographer, feel free to ask them to leave. If they do not, contact the Geography office and they will be removed.
  4. You must completely log off your machine when you are finished in the Lab. If you do not you will expose your own work and the entire Geography department to the potential of computer damage.

(from K. Clarke, lab policy)