IT & Computing

Communal Facilities:

The communal facilities available consist of PC and iMac machines connected to the University Public Workstation Facility (PWF).  All the PCs, with the exception of those in the Lipstein Law Reading Room, are dual boot between Linux and Windows XP. 

Memorial Court:  The Forbes-Mellon Library

Most facilities are located in the Forbes Mellon Library. The downstairs workroom has five workstations, a scanner and a laser printer.   There are two workstations located in the alcove at the top of the stairs as you approach the Neild Room.  A quiet room is available through the Neild Room with private study carrels which have network connections available for personal laptops.  Students who use the connections in their rooms will be able to use the quiet room with no additional configuration however, those who do not use the network connections in their rooms need to contact the IT Department before they can use these.  These facilities are available whenever the Library is open.   Another workroom is accessible externally via the stairs between R and S staircases and has six workstations, a scanner and a colour laser printer. Access to this room is available 24 hours a day, using your access card. 

There is a free wireless internet connection available within the library.  The networks are called 'Memorial Court' and 'FML Upstairs BG'.  Access is password protected, however you can obtain the codes from the library staff or the IT department.

Memorial Court:   K Staircase

Two further workrooms are available on K staircase.  One on the ground floor and one of the first floor.  These have four workstations and a laser printer in each.  Access to these rooms is available 24 hours a day, using your access card.  Please be considerate of the students living nearby when using these rooms at unconventional hours.

Memorial Court:   J Staircase

The Lipstein Law Reading Room on J Staircase has two PWF workstations and a laser printer. The room is restricted by card-access for law students only.  These machines only have Windows XP installed upon them.

The Colony

There is a computer room under the Blythe Room in Castle House with 10 workstations a scanner and a laser printer. Access to this room is available 24 hours a day, using your access card. 

Old Court

There is an e-mail terminal at the top of the Buttery stairs on H staircase, and two workstations and a printer in the Hepple Room on D staircase. 

The MCR Computer Room

The MCR owns and maintains a small computing facility, which is located at the back of the MCR itself, next to the kitchen. Inside are 2 Windows PCs and 1 Mac that belong to the MCR, along with 1 Linux PC currently on loan from a student; all four computers have a high-speed internet connection, which graduate students are free to use. In addition, MCR members can use the laser printer to prepare essays and theses without having to pay for the privilege (though you are asked to bring your own paper).

The MCR is presently considering a renovation of the computing facilities along with the purchase of new equipment. For more information on the MCR Computer Room and its capabilities, please contact their Computer Officer on mcr-computers@clare.cam.ac.uk

A copy of the terms of use of the computer rooms is posted in each room – please make yourself familiar with these. In particular:

• Drinking, eating or smoking is forbidden in the computer rooms at any time
• Games are strictly forbidden

Individual Room Connections

Individual connections are available in all rooms at a termly charge (£22.00 07/08 charges). These connections allow access to e-mail and the internet and to some departmental servers. You need to be aware of the security implications of attaching a computer to a College Network and follow the instructions here.

Printing Charges

Charges for black only printing are currently 4p per page and 20p (07/08 price) per page for colour. Double sided printing is set as the default on all printers. All charges are automatically made to your College bill for payment. Any refunds can be discussed with the IT Department. It is essential that you log out when you have finished working, so that another person cannot print on your account.

A charge is made by the University for internet traffic incurred by computers in the College. Web traffic directed via the University cache is charged at a lower rate, so it is essential that your browser be configured to use the cache. You will be given information on how to do this should you take up an individual room connection. The College is presently absorbing the majority of the other charges which are incurred. However, if disproportionately high usage by an individual user is noted, the nature of the usage will be investigated further and charges maybe passed on to that user, currently £0.60 per Gbyte of traffic.

Users should be aware that every visit they make to a web site is logged by the University, together with its cost. Should any illegal use of the web be noticed while charges are being investigated, the College would be bound to report the fact.

Every effort is made to ensure that the machines in the public work areas are in good working order. If equipment breaks down, the aim is to have it back in service within three working days. However, at some times throughout the year (for instance at the start of the Michaelmas Term) the pressure of other work is such that these targets may not be met.

It is up to you to make sure you leave enough time when printing critical documents. While every effort is made to ensure the equipment in the rooms is working satisfactorily, the IT Department has limited time on site. If you choose to print your final copy at 2am on the day before it needs to be handed in and the printer should malfunction, then the IT support team cannot be held responsible!

It is also crucial that you take regular and numerous back-ups of your work. Critical files should be copied to disk/CD ir USB stick and held in more than one location if possible. All users are allocated 250Mb of space on the PWF which is backed up daily, but you should always make your own backup plans in addition to this.

If you discover a fault with any of the machines, please let the IT Department know immediately by using the on-line form so that repair plans can be made.

The IT Department:

Our office (O3 Memorial Court) is open daily from 8am - 5:30 pm for enquiries.

Pigeon hole: Memorial Court

Email us you IT issues: helpdesk@clare.cam.ac.uk

Student Computer Officers:

There are a number of students who are available to help. Their names and methods of contact are posted in the computer rooms and around the College. email: sco@clare.cam.ac.uk .

You can also get help from Computing Service help-desk at the New Museums Site (e-mail problems especially – telephone (3)34681, email help@ucs.cam.ac.uk).

Please contact the UCS computer reps with any comments about the facilities.

Legal Liability in Computing

Remember that e-mail communications are logged and that Internet and e-mail discussion groups constitute a public forum. You may be legally liable for material disseminated electronically (eg defamatory statements, infringement of copyright).

Use of  peer-to-peer file distribution software such as BitTorrent or Limewire is not allowed in college.  Logs are checked daily and rooms will be disconnected if found to be using such software with a charge for reconnection.  The College has been contacted in the past by companies acting on behalf of copyright holders regarding illegal downloading of material such as music and films.

The use of Skype is not allowed as it generates large amounts of network traffic even when it is not being actively used.  Other Voice over IP applications such as MS Messenger, Openwengo, etc. are ok as these applications do not make use of the University's bandwidth when not in use.

All computer users should also be aware that the University Software Policy prohibits the use of unlicensed ("pirate") software for University or Collegiate purposes, including the production of student coursework. This applies even if the computer in question is not linked to the University network.

There will be induction for all students at the beginning of the Michaelmas Term. Please make sure you attend. Further information about the system and facilities available will be discussed then and you will be issued with your Central Registration Service Identifier (CRS id) and password from Computing Service.

• Back to Index

• On-line form

• Induction
• Individual Room Connections
• Charges
• Reliability
• Where to get help
• Legal Liability