I need some input from ECE and other Engineering students that have used the ECE Teaching Labs in Engineering Building 2.

1)
Of the following applications, which ones would you consider to be actually necessary in those labs? i.e., is actually used for coursework and assignments?

Slickedit 11
Realplayer
Quicktime Player
Ghostscript
Ghostview
ZipGenius/Winzip/some other third-party zip program (I bring this one up because Windows already supports creating and opening ZIP files, but not sure if students ever deal with RAR and other similar file types)

2)
Are there any small applications like those that you think might be useful in the labs? If so, please give the name and a real quick summary of what it does.

3)
We typically install the AFS/Wolfcall programs on the computers so that users can access files and folders in AFS. In short, this maps your afs home space as the K drive, and the root of afs as the J drive. However, we also install a SFTP client called WinSCP to the machines, and I'm curious if students significantly prefer one or the other.

Thanks!

8/12/2009 2:30:24 PM

i'm an ME, so i rarely even go to centennial, but i like winSCP better. ECEs probably don't, but whatever.

8/12/2009 2:51:07 PM

slickedit as i know 209 used it. I think i used it in 211 not sure. it can be subbed by other stuff though.
maybe winzip but i use winrar myself but it needs a license.

rest can be trashed.

Notsure who you are, but last i checked this summer most of the ece labs were becoming AD vista installs, meaning that the K drive was natively mapped to the machine without wolfcall. Id keep winscp as you can use it for anything, vs wolfcall only connecting to ncsu afs.

Im ECE plus work with a campus IT group

[Edited on August 12, 2009 at 6:32 PM. Reason : !]

8/12/2009 6:31:38 PM

I did not use slickedit in 209

Idk about licencing but:

EditPad Pro [coding helper / parser]
WinRar [WinZip but not annoying to use]
WinSCP or whatever that shit is called where i don't have to use putty to transfer files.
Media programs are not absolutely necessary especially not real player.

I'm AstralAdvent and i approved this message.

[Edited on August 13, 2009 at 9:47 AM. Reason : ]

8/13/2009 9:45:49 AM

Quote :

"Notsure who you are, but last i checked this summer most of the ece labs were becoming AD vista installs, meaning that the K drive was natively mapped to the machine without wolfcall. Id keep winscp as you can use it for anything, vs wolfcall only connecting to ncsu afs."

You're thinking of EOS, i.e., the College of Engineering. ECE has only changed one lab to Vista at this time, but we're planning to change one or two more to that or Windows 7 for this Fall. As for Wolfcall, actually I don't plan on using that for the J/K drive mapping. I'll be using the same OpenAFS/Kerberos package that EOS is currently using for their labs.

WinZip/WinRAR - Again, my bigger question is whether students actually work with RARs and other archive file types aside from ZIPs. If not, I see no point in pushing out any third-party app when Windows can already handle ZIPs.

8/13/2009 12:10:49 PM

In general a more sophisticated IDE would be useful

[Edited on August 13, 2009 at 12:41 PM. Reason : didn't use eclipse in the teaching labs]

8/13/2009 12:40:38 PM

Quote :

"my bigger question is whether students actually work with RARs "

only for porn

8/13/2009 1:18:12 PM

WinRAR is just easier to use and in general a better program. If it makes any difference its not like you have to pay for it or anything. Then again i haven't tried to use WinZip in like 8 years. Everytime i try to zip something up its a hassle if theres multiple files or its in a folder since to my knowledge its not integrated into the right click menu. Thats just the one thing i always have trouble with.

I'm AstralAdvent and i approved this message.

8/13/2009 10:09:15 PM