(Last updated: 28 August 2001)

This FAQ includes common questions from new graduate students. Answers with more detail can be found at ITCWeb. Mat Soukup has also made a nice handout found here. Any suggestions/questions about this page can be sent to buot@virginia.edu.

Q1: What is the difference between "blue.unix" and "pitman.stat", "wishart.stat", "galois.stat", etc?

Q2: How do I change my login password? Can I change my login id?

Q3: All my print jobs are sent to stat_l2. How can I make stat_l1 my default printer for UNIX?

Q4: How do I access the unix machines?

Q5: What is a .ps file? How do I print it?

Q6: What is a .pdf file? How do I print it?

Q7: What is the command to print text files from UNIX?

Q8: How do I properly register my UVa email account?

Q9: What is a .forward file? Do I need to include this in my stat UNIX account?

Q10: What computer programs should I become familiar with?

Q1: "Blue.unix" is a generic name for the University wide UNIX machines. Users include faculty, staff, students (graduate/undergraduate) and others affiliated with UVa. The statistics unix machines more exclusive, accounts are given only to faculty, staff and students affiliated with the statistics department. The University-wide and statistics machines are compatible, and have the same software/programs available.

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Q2: To change your login password, type passwd at the unix prompt. It is not possible to change your UVa computing id (login id), but you may request an email alias. (NOTE: once you create an alias, make sure your

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Q3: You need to edit the .variables.csh and .variables.ksh files in your directory. Change every occurrence of stat_l2 to stat_l1.

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Q4: The stat UNIX machines galois, pitman, pearson, and wishart are located in 125 Halsey Hall. If you login from a console, you will be using an X-Windows environment.

There are two ways to access the UNIX machine from a PC: 1) Using telnet, or 2) Using exceed. If you use telnet, you are restricted to a text-based interface. Exceed gives users an X-Windows environment.

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Q5: "Postscript" files have the extension .ps at the end of the filename. (Postscript is a popular document format that is used in the sciences. These type of files can be created using Tex or LaTeX, which are alternatives to MS Word.)

To print a .ps file from the UNIX command line, use the lpr command:

% lpr -Pstat_l1 myfile.ps

The -P option tells which printer to send the file to. The stat printers are located in 125 Halsey.

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Q6: "Portable Document Format" files have the extension .pdf at the end of the filename. (PDF files are popular formats for web use. It is possible to create pdf files using Latex.)

IMPORTANT: Do not use the lpr command to print a .pdf file! If you are working in an X-Windows environment:

% acroread myfile.pdf

will allow you to view the document. From there, select "print" from the menu options. If you are using a text-based interface, you will need to transfer the file to a PC, then use Acrobat Reader to view and print the file.

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Q7: One way to print a text file is to use the enscript command:

% enscript myfile.txt

For more information about enscript, type: "man enscript" at the unix prompt. Also, check out Mat Soukup's helpful handout.

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Q8: Although students can receive register their e-mail on the stat unix machine (pitman.stat), the university wide Central Mail Server (CMS) is an excellent alternative. New students are sent information about this account upon arriving in Charlottesville, and more information (including email registration) can be found at the ITC web site here.

If you register your UVa email with the CMS, there are three ways to check e-mail:

1) Use an Windows based email client such as Mulberry or Eudora (Mulberry is available in on-grounds computer labs)

2) Use a web browser, and check mail at the www.mail.virginia.edu

3) Use telnet, and connect to config.mail.virginia.edu

If you would like to receive mail at your stat unix account, you need to login to a stat machine and use the mailreg command. If you do this, and mail sent to "yourid@virginia.edu" will be sent to "youid@pitman.stat.virginia.edu". People who register a stat unix account usually use pine as their email client.

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Q9: If you use the CMS to handle your UVa email, then you may want to include a .forward file in your unix accounts. The contents of this file should be the address you wish to have your email sent. (This ensures any messages sent to "pitman.stat" will be forwarded to your CMS account. For more information, click here.)

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Q10: It's a good idea to become familiar with both the UNIX and windows version of Splus. Remember, students have the option of taking an Splus version of the computer exam. Also, there's a good chance you will use Splus in class assignments.

SAS is also important, but you might not use it as much as you use Splus. Mathematical software such as Maple, Mathematica, and IMSL are also available; more information is available here.

Finally, one way students who want to create .ps or .pdf files is to learn Latex. As mentioned above, latex is an alternative to MS Word packaged with an equations editor.

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