Quick Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the CLASS Computer Lab?

The CLASS Computer Lab is one of six general access computer labs on the campus of CSUEB and is operated by the School of Arts Letters and Social Sciences. Located in MI 3100, the lab is open for students to work on their computing projects. Each school maintains labs with software appropriate to serve the needs of its students. The CLASS Computer lab software includes word processors, spreadsheet applications, database and presentation managers, and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, plus Web browsers and telnet programs with high speed Internet access.

What user support is available in the lab?

Lab Assistants are available to answer general questions about the equipment and software in the lab. For complex questions about advanced features, please read the application help on screen, research online technical support resources, or consult your professor. Please do not expect the Lab Assistants to complete your work for you. Questions such as “How do I open my WordPerfect document?” and “How can I print my spreadsheet in landscape mode?” are appropriate. Requests like “Help me research my term paper,” and “Please format my report,” are not.

Are there any policies or rules for using the computer lab?

Yes. See Lab Policies.

Is it necessary to have diskettes to save documents?

If you want to save your work, you must bring floppy disks or Iomega Zip disks with you to the lab. Lab computers include high-density 3.5-inch floppy disk drives and 250 MB Iomega Zip disk drives (you can use either 100 MB or 250 MB Iomega Zip disks formatted for PC; Macintosh formatted disks will not work). Floppy disks and Zip disks are available at the Pioneer Bookstore or any store that sells office supplies. For best performance, create your document files on the desktop or in the My Documents folder on the computer's hard disk. Copy them to your floppy disk or Zip disk and delete them from the hard disk when you finish your work. Because many students use the computers, and because the software on the lab computers is refreshed frequently, we cannot guarantee that files you leave on the hard disk will be there next time you visit the lab.

Is it necessary to format the diskettes before using them?

Unformatted diskettes need to be formatted before the computer to recognize them. Most new diskettes are already formatted when you buy them. Be sure to purchase either unformatted or PC formatted disks. Disks formatted for Macintosh computers will not work in the lab computers.

How do I format a disk?

Floppy disks used in the lab can be either low-density (720 KB) or high-density (1.44 MB) 3.5-inch. Iomega Zip disks can be 100 MB or 250 MB and must be formatted for PC (Macintosh formatted Zip disks will not work).

To format a disk:

1. Insert it into the drive and double-click My Computer.
2. Right click the icon for the disk and choose Format from the menu that appears.
3. In the Format dialog box, select the correct capacity for the disk, type a volume label (a name for the disk), and select any other appropriate choices.
4. Click Start.

How do I copy files from one floppy disk to another?

To make a duplicate copy of a disk:

1. Write protect the source disk, if possible, and insert it into the disk drive.
2. From My Computer, right click the icon for the disk and choose Copy Disk from the menu that appears.
3. In the Copy Disk dialog box, click Start. After a few moments, a message will appear prompting you to insert the destination disk. Note that any files already on the destination disk will be deleted.
4. Follow any additional prompts until the copy process is complete.

To copy individual files or folders from one disk to another:

1. Double-click the icon for the disk and click to select the files you want to copy (selected files appear highlighted).
2. From the Edit menu, choose Copy.
3. Double-click the icon for the destination disk (the disk you want to copy to) and from the Edit menu, choose Paste. It is often easiest to copy the files from the first diskette to the hard disk, and then insert the destination diskette and copy the files from the hard disk to the destination disk.
4. Remember to delete your files from the hard disk.

How do I print in the lab?

1. Purchase a print card from the vending machines located in many buildings on campus.
2. To see what your document will look like, from the File menu choose Print Preview. Some things to look for:
   • Are my margins correct?
   • Have I included the correct header and footer?
3. If everything looks good, click Print. Alternatively, from the File menu, choose Print. The print dialog box appears.
4. In the print dialog box, check the number of copies and other settings, then click Print.
5. Another dialog box appears prompting for a job name. Type a unique name that you will use later to identify your print job at the print release station. If you want to prevent others from being able to print your job, you can enter an optional password.
6. To retrieve your printout, insert your print card into the card reader at the print release station.
7. Locate your print job in the list on the print release station and click to select it. If you entered a password in step #5, the print release station prompts you for it.
8. Click Print. The cost of the print job is deducted from your print card.
9. Press the button to release your print card and remove the card from the card reader.
10. Retrieve your hard copy from the printer.

I have heard about computer viruses. When should I scan for viruses?

The most common method by which viruses are transferred from one computer to another is via an infected floppy disk. As soon as you insert a floppy disk or Zip disk into a lab computer, right click the icon for the disk and choose Scan For Viruses from the menu that appears. In most cases, the virus protection software on the lab computers will detect any viruses encountered as you work with disks and files. If you see a warning that a virus has been detected, follow the instructions in the warning and contact a Lab Assistant.

How do I join and use mailing lists?

Mailing lists are a service provided by the campus listproc (a special software running on the campus email server). When you join a mailing list, you share email messages in common with a group of other people who have also joined the list. If you reply to a message from the list, all the other people who have joined the list receive a copy of your message. You can also initiate a new message to the list.

To join a mailing list:

1. Obtain the exact name of the list, perhaps from your professor or from a friend.
2. Open your email client and compose a message.
3. In the TO text box, type listproc@csueastbay.edu
4. Leave the subject field blank.
5. In the body of the message, type only the word subscribe followed by a space and then the name of the listserv, another space, and then your email address. For example:

   subscribe massmail chas.smith@csueastbay.edu

   Note that the only text in the message box is the word subscribe followed by the name of the listserv and your email address. If you have configured your email client to automatically insert a signature, delete the signature.
6. Send the message. (In pine, hold down the CTRL key while you press and release the X key.)
7. If you have permission to join the list, you will receive an email from the listserv welcoming you to the list. Save this email. It contains guidelines about the list and instructions for removing yourself from the list.

To send (post) a message to the list:

1. Start your email client and compose a new message.
2. In the TO text box, type listservname@csueastbay.edu, where listservname is the name of the mailing list you joined.
3. Type a subject (optional, but highly recommended).
4. Type the message that you want everyone on the list to read.
5. Send the message (in pine, hold down the CTRL key while you press and release the X key).

To see the messages posted by others on the list, read the messages in your inbox.

Can I connect to the campus from home?

Yes. To apply for a Cisco dial up account, submit the form at http://www.csueastbay.edu/its/walab/haywire_request.htm.

For detailed instructions about using your computer on campus, see http://www.csueastbay.edu/its/walab/main.htm.

Are tutorials available to students, faculty, and staff for Internet, word processing, and statistical applications?

Yes, Information and Computing Services provides appropriate support and training for students, faculty, and staff.

• For students, introductory workshops are available through the Student Technology Service Center.
• Faculty members, please visit the Faculty Services section of the ICS Web site.
• Workshops, training, and support for administrative staff are available through the Administrative Technology Service Center.

To learn about word processing, spreadsheets, or databases:

The Microsoft Office Assistant

The computers in the CLASS Computer Lab include Microsoft Office XP. Extensive help is available from the Microsoft Office Assistant. Start any Microsoft Office program by double-clicking its icon or by choosing it from the Start menu, Programs. Click the assistant, type your question or topic in the dialog box and click Search. A number of topics appear. Click the one that seems most appropriate.

To run the tutorial for Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS):

Double-click the SPSS icon on the desktop, or choose SPSS from the Start menu, Programs, SPSS. In the opening dialog box, choose Run the tutorial and click OK, or choose Tutorial from the Help menu.

For more information about SPSS, see the SPSS Guide.