Venue: BT1.08 at 1000
Present: Jim Briggs (Chair), Steve Broadbent, Ed Kopinski, Alison White, Les Black
Apologies:
Agenda | Notes | Action | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Actions carried forward |
Actions completed are noted in the minutes of the previous meeting. | ||
Perception server setup |
There are still problems with setting up the Perception server. | AW to get Rick Thornton, Craig Browning and Mike Reid together to sort it out | Progressing. Had a meeting. Could be working, but Mike needs to check. Carried forward. Long-term, needs a University project to sort out. |
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 reported that Jabber might be available. |
EK to talk to JLS. | c/f |
MATLAB |
Ivan Jordanov had raised a need for additional packs for MATLAB. | AW to look at licence implications - how is it licenced? do we have/need concurrent licences? do we need more licences or just additional toolboxes? | c/f |
Lion Gate Postgraduate Centre facilities |
The machines had not been installed yet. |
EK to chase | Now up and running. |
Support policy for non-standard systems |
SB tabled a draft leaflet. EK/SB to keep working on it. | EK/SB | c/f |
IMPATICA |
Terry King has requested two copies of a product called IMPATICA (Impatica for PowerPoint, http://www.impatica.com); one for me and one for Emma DW. It is a product to add streamed sound to PowerPoint presentations that run in Web browsers (and it runs within WebCT). This is for the MSc eLT for Semster 1 next year. Clearly there will be have to be some jiggery-pockery with the WebCT server before the product is run, but whether we need just two personal copies or personal copies + server software I don't know. Please could ISO find out what we need and could you buy it. I don't think it's very expensive - they seem to have a price for education. | EK to investigate | Been ordered. |
Website rationalisation |
See http://userweb.port.ac.uk/~briggsj/ccc/students/index.htm Are all the pages up to date? Can we rationalise material duplicated between them? |
JSB to ask Mark Ferguson to permit access to pages for SB, TO and possibly LB | Done |
Policy on unused computers in labs |
SB reported complaints from students that lecturers would not allow them to use unused machines in labs during practical classes. | JSB to reiterate policy to staff | Ongoing. There have been a small number of student complaints - some about staff attitude |
Outstanding requests/orders: software |
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Outstanding requests/orders: hardware |
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Strategy/policy |
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Major projects |
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Operational issues |
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Unix passwords |
Jane Chandler says... "Please can you reconsider the mechanisms
for students accessing their Unix accounts?
It is rare for students to use Unix during their first semester with us so most will have forgotten their initial password. It is good, however, that access is available from the beginning but perhaps a genetic (sic) password would help or the password to mirror their current password." It was noted that this was under review. |
SB to feed this into the student setup review | Done. LDAP access to single password in NDS is coming, but quite a lot of work involved. |
Site support arrangements |
Jane is concerned that site support staff are coming from Mercantile to service Buckingham when there are several site support locations closer. This makes it difficult for her staff to carry equipment TO site support. | Not discussed. Carried forward | Take things to Lion Gate (satellite of Merc) |
Any other business |
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Linux servers |
LB reported that John Drury would have Tomcat ready on Herring soon, and would move students across there from Eudoxus, which needed to be rebuilt. | ||
Special needs PCs |
SB reported that 2 special needs PCs had been delivered to Mercantile House. They are below spec for our labs, and the instruction is not to alter them. | JSB to contact Martyn Stahl | |
Merc House 4.3 |
SB agreed to get a quote for the new furniture. | SB to get furniture quote | |
There is a separate furniture budget. There is also the matter of moving the data projector to M4.1 | JSB to raise with ECAM | ||
Merc House floor 2 |
EK and SB reported on proposals to reorganise floor 2 of Mercantile House. This would involve moving the reception area along the corridor. | ||
Software upgrades and removals |
It is was agreed that it was necessary to identify what software needs to be upgraded and what can be removed as being redundant. | JSB to email staff | |
Helpdesk backlog |
EK reported that his staff had now cleared the backlog of helpdesk jobs built up to Feb/Mar. | ||
ISO survey |
The results of the ISO survey are expected soon. | ||
Work plan for Mercantile House |
It was noted that the refurbishment of the Mercantile House stairwell and lifts would cause problems with delivery and installation of new equipment. | SB to plan and monitor. | |
Date of next meeting |
Friday 28th May at 1000 in BT1.08 (JSB's office) |