2.1 Obtaining access to an  computer

Most  sites now possess a number of computers which are networked together and are each individually capable of running  while sharing both disk resources. Most such computers cannot support more than a few simultaneous users (or simultaneous incarnations of the same user) of . Thus, most locations are obliged to institute a mechanism for distributing the available  time to the people desiring it. At NRAO, some of the computers are assigned to individual staff members and are normally used only by them. Other computers, including all of the most powerful ones, are for “public” use, but are mostly still on an assigned basis. You should arrange to have a workstation assigned to you for your  processing. A few of the computers are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and are often used remotely. There may be sign-up sheets and rules for their use posted in or near the principal “ Caige” (user-terminal room). To promote fair and efficient use of the system, there are often restrictions on the amounts of time that any one user or user group may reserve.

 can support several simultaneous users which it calls AIPS1, AIPS2, etc. In the workstation environment, this is used primarily to allow one user to have separate simultaneous  sessions using multiple windows. This also allows users to log in to remote computers (e.g., with the Unix tool slogin) and run  while remaining comfortably ensconced in their offices in front of their own (presumably lesser) workstations. You should not do this, of course, without permission.