FAQs

The following questions are commonly asked to our Lab Consultants.  Before seeking help of a Lab Consultant, try to browse the F.A.Q. to find your solution.

Responses to Submitted Feedback:

General Lab Questions:

Printing Questions:

Internet and Email Questions:


Q: Can I be allowed in to the lab without my card?
A: No. This lab is paid for with student funds as a resource for students (specifically those in the engineering department).  You will not be allowed into the lab without a valid student card (even if you have a class).If you have forgotten yourstudent card, you can get a temporary card from the SER building, room 301.

Q: How long will my files stay on the computer I am using?
A: The lab maintains a regular schedule for clearing files off of all PCs. This is done every time the computer is restarted. That is, if you save anything to a lab computer it won't be there the next day, or if the computer is restarted! We recommend that you save your work to a USB drive. The lab is not responsible for lost data due to storing information on the local systems.

Q: Does the lab have a photocopier?
A: Yes it is located at the consultant desk next to the printers. 8x10 copies are $0.07 per sheet and are charged to your A-card.  One of the the consultants will assist you with your copies.

Q: Where is the closest public-access phone?
A: It is on this floor, over by the vending machines. There is also another phone in the breezeway between the two older buildings.

Q: How do I print to the color printer?
Bring the document to a consultant and they will assist you.

Q: Where do I pay for more print-outs?
A: Every student is alotted 30 free Laser Copies per semester.  When these are used, printouts may be paid for with your Aggie Express account at 7 cents per page (24-48 cents for color†).  To deposit money in your Aggie Express account, go to http://www.usu.edu/usucard or visit the USU Card office in the Taggart Student Center. Lab Consultants on duty are not allowed to accept cash payments for print-outs.

Q: What does it cost for double-sided printing?
A: Printing to both sides can save you money. We charge two-thirds of what it would be if you printed single sides. For example, a 12-page document would cost you 84 cents. If you printed it double-sided (6 pages) it would cost you 60 cents.

Q: How do I use the plotter?
A: Bring the document on a USB drive to a lab consultant to get it printed. For information on plotting view the link -->  files/uploads/Plotter.pptx

Q: What is a VMS account?
A: The computer account you use to check your email is your VMS account. You can use the account for more than email however. The second most common use (after email) is to store files (instead of using a floppy disk). This account can be accessed from anywhere in the world, as long as there is an internet connection available.

Q: How do I transfer files to or from my VMS/email account?
A: Two ways. You may either use USU's webmail interface to upload files attached to emails (slow), or you may connect directly to your account directory using an FTP program. One of the most common types of FTP programs is WS_FTP which is installed on most PC Lab computers.

Feedback:
Why is X-Win32 gone? It is inconvenient to reinstall everytime.

Response: Basically it is because X-Win32 was being abused. The open access lab had become an extension to other departments' unix/linux labs and thus using up open access seats that other students should be able to use. There is no reason why someone using only unix/linux logins need to be taking up space in open access labs just because they want to chat with their friends while they work on their other systems. Sorry!

Feedback:
I understand that cards must be swiped, but when I'm here for a quiz in one of my classes and I accidentally forgot my card... please, just let me in.

Response: Open access lab policy on campus states that everyone must have an ID card to use the facility. Since there are more faces than one can remember we can't make exceptions.

Feedback:
The amount of consultants working in PC labs including the Engineering lab seem to be overkill at times. I am unclear on the cost of these individuals to the university but wherever the funding comes from - fed tax dollars or tuiton dollars or state tax dollars - I am paying for it. What I can live without is a person receiving xx.xx$/hr. to retrieve my printouts from the laser 5 feet away. What I can live without is a person that I never talk to except "Hi" and "Goodbye" to scan my ID card. These things are un-needed, costly, and erroneous to most users I feel.  Please reduce accordingly if you are concerned about the amount of debt the university is in (not to oversimplify things - every little bit helps).

Response: With out these (underpaid) minimum wage personnel, the printers would need to be removed, because of the intense abuse that would occur.  Therefore you would have no printouts.  With no one to keep track of the condition, access and upkeep of the computers, you would be lucky to get a computer and people would be talking, using cell phones, eating in the lab, and the computer systems would be in total disrepair. Key loggers would be installed to capture your password and performance would be non-existent.  Unmanaged computers on this campus get trashed in about 5 minutes.  I am very thankful for these key personnel and the funding supplied by the students of USU to help keep the labs up and running.

Feedback:
Now that we have to login to the computers in the lab, is it really necessary to swipe our student ID cards at the door?

Response: One of the driving reasons we must still swipe ID cards at the door is because that is where a large portion of the lab's funding comes from.  You will also notice that your ID is still swiped at the TSC and other labs which have implemented the same login.  Until the login system can be combined with the USU card network system, we must still deal with both methods of authentication for the time being.  Also, this new login is in preparation for each engineering student having their own disk space on the servers (this is currently finished and is now in testing stages).