 The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group CPU (Club President's Report) Stan Johnstone stanj@melbpc.org.au |
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Please accept my apologies for the short report last month - after being spared from a flu attack for many years, this year it all caught up and I was hit for a six.
Changes and their effects
Recently while driving I heard (ex-president) Charles Wright on his talkback segment on 3LO. A listener had rung in with an unexplained problem in Windows 95, and Charles' excellent suggestion was for users to keep a handwritten log of all the changes made to their system.
Too often the installation of some new software or even a minor change to the configuration can have unknown and far-reaching effects. By keeping a log, at least you may be able to go back and undo a problem you have inadvertently introduced. Charles said that he had a problem when shutting down his system, which he had been unable to identify. I have the problem where the system will only recognise my printer on LPT2 for some reason or other.
Another well-known Melb PC member has told me that he regularly removes and reinstalls Windows 95 and all his software in order to make sure all residual and unused files are removed. This must be a mammoth task when you consider all the settings and patches you change or add over a period of time, but he assures me that the gain in system reliability and recovered disk space makes it all worthwhile.
The handbook I had for DOS 5.0 is five times as thick as the one that came with Windows 95, despite the difference in complexity - all the rest of the information is in the HELP files. This is usually the pattern these days with modern software - CD-ROMs are cheaper than print. However scanning through an index is nowhere near as easy as flipping through the pages of a book, where a screen dump or table may catch your eye and guide you to the answer you are seeking.
These days most of us just install soft-ware and then try to run it intuitively. Often there is a tutorial that may help, otherwise if you are in trouble then you are stuck with the help index. This makes life difficult, particularly for new users who may have no idea of the critical word or where to start looking in the help areas.
I have gone into some detail about how unknown material may be affecting the performance of your own machine for a number of reasons, so:
- Try to be aware of all the implications of any change.
- Don't leap in and make changes just because something is not performing exactly as it was yesterday.
- Read notices of changes to systems when they are posted for your benefit.
Yes - you have have guessed it - I was building up to a reference to our Internet "Message of the Day" (MOTD) and other similar postings from other sources where system changes and other matters of interest are announced. Last month I mentioned how the well-publicised change to PAP dialling was not seen or acted on by many users.
Now, as we prepare for the move to the new Dorcas Street premises, there will be a series of changes announced - new phone numbers, etc, which will continue over a period of time. We don't change the MOTD every day, however we are working on a couple of ideas to make it more attractive to visit each time you log in - so please make sure your Home Page is set for that vital address: http://hww.melbpc.org.au/motd/
We had a couple of unfortunate occurrences this month. First, a hard disk crashed on the main server after running non-stop for almost three years. Naturally Murphy ruled, it happened on a Saturday afternoon and replacements were not available until Monday. However, normal fallback systems started automatically, such as backup password files immediately being visible from another server and thus providing continued access. The immediately apparent effect was the inability to access our own web pages and to download mail, but external browsing and news continued uninterrupted.
Most importantly, no-one suffered any loss of mail - something the "big boys" have not been able to achieve when they have had their failures. At the same time we learnt some things that we can implement next time it happens. Yes - next time! No-one can ever say it won't happen again - equipment fails, it's a fact of life, despite the level of redundancy that is allowed for in the design. Our backup systems worked perfectly this time, and next time we will have more and better procedures ready to start automatically to reduce the effects even more.
For the past six months we have kept the number of users to about 4000. With the impending move it was not practical to add new lines, and so we have deliberately held the number down to that level. Now, with the new lines and equipment available in the new office, we will be able to actively promote and extend our Internet service still further.
Despite the constant number of users, during recent months our traffic has risen steadily by about 10 per cent each month. This has put an ever-increasing load on the system and the ethernet link that forms the backbone. For this reason it was planned to change the backbone to 10baseT at the time of the relocation and reinstallation of the equipment. However the rate of increased loading could not wait until then, and all manner of strange happenings resulted, causing the system to crash several times over a couple of days. Replacing this cabling was done at 6.30 pm one evening by Richard Solly and Jason Lee, but I doubt if anyone who was on line noticed it happen.
Some of the new equipment has already arrived and more will be following shortly. As I write this, the new phone lines are already available and are currently being installed. It is possible the Internet service will be working in part from Dorcas Street in conjunction with Albert Road some time before the main move.
Our move to Dorcas Street
Today (as I write) there were 15 trades-men on the site when I visited it, and it is most exciting to see all our planning finally taking shape. Telstra technicians were outside in the street huddled in their little tent, and carpenters, electricians, and air-conditioning engineers were toting and hauling cables and equipment all over the building.
The builder is Downie Commercial Interiors. After responding to our advertisement for expressions of interest, Olly Downie checked out our web site to find out more about us, and shortly afterwards signed up as a member. This is the first time Olly has used e-mail on a project, and it has proved an excellent method of passing reports and instructions back and forth.
Provided all continues to go as smoothly as it has to date, it appears he will have everything ready for the move to take place on the week-end of 4/5 October. It is disappointing that the planned renovations to the facade by the landlord are still incomplete as this renovation will enhance considerably the appearance of the building.
Regular visitors to the Albert Road offices over the past couple of months will have noticed the increased difficulty in getting meter parking during the day. This followed the closure of some car parking areas nearby. Fortunately the parking situation is better in Dorcas Street if you need to visit the office during the day, and at evenings and weekends there are no problems at all.
Open house
In past months I have run a series of Orientation Days on Saturday mornings at the old office. As we expect a lot of interest in the new premises, we will hold an Open Day for all members on Saturday 11 October 1997 from 10.00 am to 3.00 pm. No need to book, as there won't any catering, but we hope you will come and see what we have been doing to provide better facilities for you.
Murphy will probably do something to see that everything is not completely finished, but by that time we should have started to settle in properly. But come along and take us as you find us, and we hope you will share our enthusiasm for our new home.
Home Help
Last month Ian Felsenthal wrote seeking volunteers to assist members who are not particularly mobile and need general help with their computing interests. When I promoted this some months ago there was an expression of interest. Now Ian has developed the idea a good deal further and the program is running smoothly with about 30 volunteers offering their services to members.
It is particularly rewarding to see this type of response, and I am sure that both visitors and "visitees" are finding the experience equally rewarding. Please remember that this is really just an extension of our Dial Help program with services provided by volunteers of all levels of experience, on a member-to-member basis.
It has been found necessary to refuse assistance where the responsibility for a problem should have been accepted by the supplier - we cannot get involved in disputes outside of our organisation. Neither is it intended to provide services equivalent to the professional services offered by those who advertise in PC Update. Too often these days problems generated from changes to software or an operating system do require the services of an expert.
But hold on, that was what I started out by talking about - wasn't it?
Reprinted from the October 1997 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
