Venue: BT1.08
Present: Jim Briggs (Chair), Steve Broadbent, Ed Kopinski, Alison White, Tom O'Doherty
Apologies: Les Black, Dean Ledger
| Agenda | Notes | Action | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
Welcome |
The Committee welcomed Tom O'Doherty, attending in Dean Ledger's place. | ||
Actions carried forward |
Actions completed are noted in the minutes of the previous meeting. | ||
Perception server setup |
AW reported on the current state of the Perception server. There is an outstanding technical problem involving connecting it to the Oracle database - Craig Browning is waiting for info from Rick Thornton (who is off sick). Regarding service provision issues, AW reported that OLAG had produced a document describing protocols for running a Perception service. |
AW to hunt out the document | carried forward |
Commerce Server |
EK reported that Craig was still working on the problems with Commerce Server. Hopefully, he would be able to fix it during semester 2 when no students were actively using it. EK agreed to investigate why it is only accessible in Anglesea Labs and not universally. |
EK to investigate | Craig has started rebuilding Carp. Access is impacted by need for cache disablement and BizDesk software locally installed. |
alienbrain |
SB reported that Andy Bain had requested alienbrain to be installed in the Lion Gate labs | SB to talk to Craig Browning | Now with Tom O'Doherty |
Outstanding requests/orders: software |
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Exclusive chat facilities |
It had been noted that students frequently needed exclusive chat facilities. The chat rooms in WebCT and the like were open to all students taking the course. What was needed was a chat facility that allowed students working in a group to keep others out. | EK to look into this | Jabber might be available. EK to talk to JLS. |
MATLAB |
Ivan Jordanov had raised a need for additional packs for MATLAB. | AW to look at licence implications | carried forward |
Dreamweaver MX 2004 and other bits |
EK reported that JSB's requests (made 4/2/04) had been ordered. He would check with Chris Boorman whether media needed to be ordered or whether we could make our own copies. |
EK to check with Chris Boorman | EK reported that the orders had been placed. He would check with CB as to whether copies could be downloaded from Macromedia's website. |
Outstanding requests/orders: hardware |
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Lion Gate Postgraduate Centre facilities |
TO reported that he had 8 decent (P3-500) and 2 other PCs ready to install and had asked for 10 network points to be opened up. He expected the facility to be available in about 2 weeks. JSB authorised the expenditure of £20 on cabling. |
TO | carried forward |
Dave Prytherch's laptop |
This had now been delivered to Dave. | ||
Laptop for Emma Duke-Williams |
JSB noted that he would shortly be requesting 3 new laptops for Emma, John Rosbottom and Cheryl Hennell. | JSB | Done |
Printers for Kerrylyn and Karen/Cheryl |
EK reported that these had been ordered. | EK to notify JSB of spec and price | carried forward |
Strategy/policy |
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Major projects |
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Network printer survey |
JSB raised the issue of network printers. It was agreed to conduct a survey at some point in the future about where they might be best deployed. | ||
Operational issues |
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Booking system for multimedia labs |
Some students had complained of difficulties of getting a multimedia PC in the labs. It was agreed that the problem wasn't serious enough to justify re-introducing a booking scheme. SB to post notices reminding people that multimedia labs should not be used for general applications when people were wanting to use specialist facilities. | SB | Done |
Student printing credits |
A student had raised the issue of print quotas. SB and EK reported that under the "new arrangements" introduced this academic year, ISO was now responsible for student printing. CAM students had a quota of 400 pages (500 for final-year students). Students in many other departments had a 0 quota. While it was possible for departments to purchase additional pages for their students, EK wasn't aware of any who did. | JSB to respond to student | Done. Student reps now had an additional quota of 100 pages to allow them to print agendas and minutes of meetings. |
Microsoft Project for PMTIS tutors |
JSB reported an issue raised by Kate Dingley. MS Project is required by 5 people tutoring PMTIS. The library has a staff and student copy but this is not an "enterprise" version, and only opens 50 times. |
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| SB agreed to set up NAL access to Project for the tutors. | SB | Done | |
| EK agreed to investigate why the library version can only be opened 50 times. | EK | EK reported this was not a problem with Project 2003 and undertook to see that the library copies were upgraded to this. | |
Support policy for non-standard systems |
SB tabled a draft leaflet. EK/SB to keep working on it. | EK/SB | carried forward |
Any other business |
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Visual Studio .NET |
SB reported that the Working Party is currently testing the installation. | ||
| NetBeans | JSB reported that NetBeans had worked satisfactorily when called upon to replace Visual Cafe in his recent SWS. | ||
PCs in Mercantile |
AW reported that 7 or 8 PCs in M4.2 were currently out of order. | SB to check | Mainly due to hard disk failure. Currently 3 down awaiting replacement disks. SB reported that he had instituted new procedures which were aimed at monitoring the number of down machines. |
Support in Lion Gate |
The Committee noted Dean Ledger's iminent departure from the University and that the arrangements for replacing him had not yet been agreed. | EK to liaise with Faculty Manager | EK was to talk to Steve Hand and Roger Beresford |
OPNET |
JSB agreed to talk to Mo Adda to check that all the terms of the licence had been met, and to approve the renewal of the licence if so. | JSB | Done |
Date of next meeting |
Friday 5th March at 1030 in BT1.08 (JSB's office) |