Getting Started With Statistics Computing

Getting your Statistics Computer Account Set Up and activated:

Most Statistics accounts are set up automatically when students are admitted as undergraduate majors or into the graduate program. You will be given a randomly generated password at your orientation. Please change your password immediately after logging into your account using the "passwd" command. If your account was not set up automatically, you will be asked to supply your name, student ID, and other information when you activate your account. Please do not wait until you have an immediate need for access to activate your account.

Learning the Basics:

CSL Unix Orientation Sessions

If you are new to Unix, attending a CSL Unix Orientation Session may be helpful as a basic introduction. These sessions are held at the beginning of the semester, on dates shown at the web page. The basics of screen layout, mouse usage, a few shell commands, Web access, Email and Emacs editor use are covered.

Introductory Manual for the CSL/Statistics Computing Environment

Please purchase or view on-line the CS 1000 Introductory Manual to the Unix Operating System and the Computer Sciences Department's Instructional Computing Environment. It is available at the DoIT Tech Store (first floor of the Computer Sciences and Statistics Building)

On-line Unix Tutorials

There are many tutorials available on the Web. You can do a Web search on "Unix Tutorial" to find some. You may want to try the University of Edinburgh Guide and Tutorial at http://unixhelp.ed.ac.uk/

Getting Help:

Questions About or Problems With Computer Operation

Much of the basic information about using Statistics computers can be found on the CSL Web documents pages under "FAQ" and "How To" sections. Those pages include instructions and information that are common between Computer Science and Statistics computing systems. The Statistics Web documents you are currently viewing typically present instructions and information that are unique to Statistics computing or that otherwise differ from what is used on the CSL computers.

If you can't find the answer to your question in the Web documents or the online man pages, send email to lab@stat.wisc.edu. Please include the following information in your messages:

• Your login name, if you are sending email from a different account
• The name of the workstation on which you are having difficulty
• When you encountered the problem
• What program you are trying to use
• The exact command-line you use to run the program
• If your program includes input files of any kind, what files and what directory they are in
• The exact error messages or output
• If you changed anything in your environment between the time the program last worked and the time you noticed the problem, please tell us exactly what you changed.
• As much additional information as you can provide.

When you reply to a message that's in the request tracking system, please make sure to Reply All or cc to lab@stat.wisc.edu (or lab@cs.wisc.edu) so that all followup information is in the request database.

Questions About or Problems With Statistics Applications Software

If you have a problem with using a Statistics application like R and SAS, or if there is a bug in your program code for C or C++, it is better to seek answers first with other students and faculty in Statistics first. If they can not help you with your problem then please email these types of questions lab@stat.wisc.edu

-- ColleenBrabender - 08 Aug 2012