CS Account Information

To register for an account:

• ssh to the machine "shell.cs.fsu.edu"
• Type "newacct" at the three prompts (one for login, two for passwords) -- this activates the automated account generator
• Follow on screen directions and write down your login and password that are created during the process
• To access the account in the future, ssh to "shell.cs.fsu.edu", but use the login and password created above.
• Students must be registered for the class for this process to work (i.e. must be on the roster).

Accessible CS machines:

• shell.cs.fsu.edu -- primary login machine for undergraduate use.  Can be accessed through ssh (secure shell)
• program.cs.fsu.edu -- machine that should be used for compiling and running programming projects in the unix environment (with g++).  Login via ssh (secure shell).  This can be done from within another logon session with the unix command:

    ssh program.cs.fsu.edu
  

• linprog.cs.fsu.edu -- another machine that can be used for compiling and running programs. This one is a linux machine

The account provides:

• A home directory with storage space for programming projects on the Computer Science file servers.
• access to the g++ compiler (unix environment).
• access to the text editors pico, emacs, and vi (unix environment).
• an e-mail account (username@cs.fsu.edu).

SSH software options

• The Computer Science department's Systems Group has obtained a site license for the students of our courses for the Tectia SSH client for Windows. This should be used instead of the old SSH Secure Shell (from ssh.com) client, which is out of date.
  • Download Tectia SSH from here -- if you are accessing from outside FSU systems, you will need a login and password -- provided in class
• Mac users: There is a built-in command-line SSH in your Mac's "Terminal" application. See this instruction file on how to use this feature
• Links to a few other SSH clients for Windows (PuTTY and Bitvise)

Recommendations in account usage:

• Can login to unix environment via SSH from anywhere (campus labs, home, work, etc).
• Can transfer files between account and other locations (home, work, etc) via SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) programs, which are built into most of the SSH clients.
• Store program files for each assignment in a separate directory (i.e. folder).  Assignment files are easier to manage when they are not jumbled together with old assignments.  Directories can be created in the unix environment or in the Windows environment when your filespace is mounted as a drive letter.
• Learn how to use an FTP program for easy transfer of files back and forth from home and school.
• Save an untouched copy of finished homework assignments on your CS account before the due date cut-off. This way, if there are any problems with submitting, you have a copy of your files on your account with a timestamp showing that they were finished on time
• BACKUP BACKUP BACKUP!!!  Periodically backup your files.  You do not want to lose files that you have worked hard on.  Backup your files not only with extra copies on the same machine (i.e. another folder in your account), but also on another machine (i.e. transfer a copy to your home computer, or put on one disk).  If the system goes down briefly, you will not be able to access files until it is back up.  If you accidentally delete something, there's nothing I can do.  Make your own backups!!!

(See the FAQ for directions on some of these accesses).
 

Here's a sample set of commands for creating assignment directories in the unix environment:

Log in to your CS account and do the following:
  (folder names are suggested -- yours don't have to match mine)
 

create a directory for use with your courese:	mkdir cop3330
change permissions on the folder to restrict access:	chmod 700 cop3330
switch to the new directory:	cd cop3330
create a directory for the first assignment:	mkdir prog1
switch to the new directory:	cd prog1