Below you'll find quick announcements about systems administration projects. Please check back here frequently so you will be aware of, and can take advantage of, new software or services. (NOTE: Linux means Computer Center supported computers running Scientific Linux 3.0.3 or later.)
Upgraded this package to latest version from 5.2. Run math for the command-line interface or mathematica for the graphic user interface version. Both are in /usr/local/bin. The Solaris version runs only on computers configured with an 64-bit operating system.
Upgraded this package to latest version from 6.3. Run idl for the command-line interface or idlde for the graphic user interface version. Both are in /usr/local/bin.
Upgraded this package to latest version from 5.x. This (/usr/local/bin/acroread) is the reader only, not one that can generate pdf files. (An old version of a full implementation is installed on eta. See this page for details on that copy.
Upgraded this package to latest version. It is used for making proposals for Hubble observations.
Added this package to our IRAF installation for Linux. (If Solaris users want it, please ask.)
We have added more disk space for use by home directories. Therefore we have raised the disk quota limit to 6 gigabytes. (This affects those users whose home directories are stored on one of our two main central file servers, ccnfs.pha.jhu.edu. We have not yet increased the disk space on the other file server, skysrv.pha.jhu.edu.)
New Xerox Phaser 7760GX color laser printers have been deployed in rooms 218 and near 510. They replaced three older printers known respectively as secondlp and fifthlp and fifthcolor. (The new fifthlp answers to both fifth* names.) The old black and white laser printer named fifthlp has been renamed readinglp and deployed to the reading room (Bloomberg 464). For a list of public printers, see http://www.pha.jhu.edu/dept/compcenter/inventory/pub-printers.html.
The newest copies of several astronomy related library of IDL routines have been installed: (a) the Astronomy User's Library, (b) Eric Deutsch's collection and (c) the WMAP collection. To use them, you need to specify their directories in your IDL_PATH evironment variable. (We have included it in our idl startup script (version 6.3), so most people will not need to do anything.) For more info, see http://www.pha.jhu.edu/dept/compcenter/software/astro/unix.astro.html
IDL has been upgraded from various older versions to 6.3 on many Computer Center-supported computers. The IDL start up script (/usr/local/bin/idl) has been modified to set the IDL_PATH variable to include several popular libraries (see the above announcement). Therefore many people will be able to use it without needing to set any IDL variables.
The newest version of the STGMS program for managing STSCI proposals has been upgraded from 4.9 to 5.0. Use /usr/local/bin/stgms to run. For more info, see http://gms.stsci.edu.
The newest version of the TUI program for controlling the 3.5m telescope at the Apache Point Observatory is now installed for Linux users. The ds9 image viewer, and an associated library, xpa, have also been upgraded, for both Solaris and Linux users.
The latest version of the STSCI Python library of programs (i.e. PyRAF) was installed, along with a number of prerequisite Python modules, using the new python 2.4.2 software. The PyRAF command interpreter is the replacement for the cl interpreter historically used by all IRAF folks. Enjoy. For more info, see these package home pages: STSCI_Python, Numeric, PMW (python megawidgets)
The latest version of python was installed. Python is used by an increasing number of programmers, including those building astronomy science software. For more information, see http://www.python.org.
The newest version of the Mathematica has been installed on Computer Center-maintained Solaris and Linux machines (except for old Redhat systems (those lower than Scientific Linux 3.0.3)). Use "math" to start its command-line interface, or "mathematica" to start its graphic interface. (Note that eta is still running a 32-bit version of Solaris, so it can only run Mathematica 4.2.) (See what is new in Mathematica 5.2.)
Starlink is a suite of interactive data reduction and analysis tools.
It appears to consist of a large number of programs from other organizations
which have been repackaged and documented, in an effort to make it easier
for astronomers to install and use. It specifically includes a suite
called Figaro desired by at least one astronomer.
The Starlink home page is at
this location.
NOTE! You need to do some specific things to run this software. See the notes in the file /usr/site/starlink/PHA-README.
The newest version of the STSCI Grants Management System has been installed on Computer Center-maintained Solaris and Linux machines (on both production and vBNS networks). It may not work on Scientific Linux computers due to a bug we have so far been unable to identify or resolve. Use "stgms" to start it.
The newest version of the Gemini Observing Tool for Phase II has been installed on Computer Center-maintained Solaris and Linux machines (on both production and vBNS networks). Use "gemini-ot" to start it.
The newest version of the Firefox web browser has been installed on eta and Computer Center-maintained Solaris clients. It does NOT yet work on some machines because they need to have operating system patches installed. (Most of the public lab workstations have been patched.)
We'll announce installations for other platforms when they are complete.
Use /usr/local/bin/new/firefox to start it.