[rfu-tech] Re: [rfu-automation] Automation computer problems

Sun Apr 15 11:55:26 CDT 2007

Hmm, this is not good. Print had some of the same issues recently.

While resources in the Production Room is meant for any IMC member's 
use, this use of resources also needs to be balanced against the need to 
support ongoing and established projects, some of which (like the EAS 
printer) are legal mandates and not IMC optional.

It was suggested when the Print issues came up that equipment should be 
prominently posted so as to clearly indicate that equipment setups 
should not be disassemebled by anyone without being reconfigured to the 
original set-up. And there are definitely things, like the EAS and RFU 
automation equipment that MUST never be used for other purposes. The 
automation computer is locked down with passwords, so it's useless to 
anyone without that access anyway. But it does need a keyboard and mouse.

Part of the issue is that the production room has never been properly 
configured for long term use. Things have been stacked in there in 
somewhat overlapping fashion and this needs to be sorted out so that 
people can use things without interfering with continuing production 
needs of the working groups. I would suggest that we put a total 
makeover of the production room on the schedule for all interested 
working groups to participate in after the semester ends. I won't be 
available until then, after I've taken a desperately needed short 
vacation. I would suggest sometime near the end of May.

In the meantime, some signage to indicate what's off limits and what's 
available for use at random would be helpful.

Dan is working on a plan that should eventually yield two multi-task 
terminals for use in editing audio/text/video. I think we should start 
conceiving how these two workstations will fit into the production room 
with a dedicated workstation for RFU/automation/EAS (because FCC 
requirements effectively require us to do that and to avoid running into 
problems that could create FCC violations if people try to 
rewire/reconfigure it) and what I'm pretty sure Print wants as a 
dedicated workstation during at least in the week or so of pre-press 
work they do on every issue of the Public i before it goes to press.

Thus, to me it looks like we need to accommodate four workstations, 
minimum: two "free-range" workstations always available for any member's 
use, one full-time dedicated RFU workstation, and one part- or full-time 
Print workstation. To do this, I propose building in shelving/desks on 
the west and north/northeast walls after taking out the tables that 
currently hold the equipment there. This will allow us to build shelving 
at the back of the desktops to hold things like RFU's EAS printer, other 
printers, storage space for gear that only is needed on the desktop 
occasionally (like scanners), cabling racks, etc.

We can talk about this more at Thursday's Steering group meeting, as I'm 
sure there are more things we need to take into account than what I've 
described here as a start.
Mike Lehman

Gary Cziko wrote:
> Dan et al.:
>
> The automation was off again this morning at 6 am. I came over to the 
> studio and found ZaraRadio had crashed again. As Dan had suggested, I 
> did a reinstall of the program and got it going again. We'll see if 
> the re-install makes any difference.
>
> On another matter, I have noticed some jostling on the table on the 
> west wall of the production room. This is where the automation 
> computer and the printer for the EAS are located, in the SW corner. 
> Last week the automation computer monitor and keyboard had been shoved 
> into the corner and its mouse removed and connected to an iMac which 
> had appeared in its place. I put the mouse back where it belonged and 
> arranged things so that both the "new"  iMac and automation computer 
> were accessible.
>
> This morning the EAS printer had been pushed almost off the table and 
> its paper feed disconnected.  I put the printer back in a less 
> precarious position and re-attached the paper feed (it's been a long 
> time since I've played with traction-feed printers, so I hope I did 
> this correctly). The ribbon on this printer needs to be changed as the 
> printing is close to unreadable.
>
> The people using the production room, particularly the west table, 
> need to know the importance of respecting the automation computer and 
> the EAS printer. Any ideas on how to do this?
>
> --Gary
>
> On 4/14/07, *dan blah* <dan.blah at gmail.com 
> <mailto:dan.blah at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
>     On 4/14/07, Gary Cziko <g-cziko at uiuc.edu
>     <mailto:g-cziko at uiuc.edu>> wrote:
>     > ZaraRadio had crashed again on the automation computer this
>     morning. I came
>     > in around 8 am to get it going again.
>     >
>     > ZaraRadio has been giving us trouble lately after a year and a
>     half of
>     > reliability. Dan had mentioned in an earlier post that the hard
>     drive on the
>     > automation machine is not in good shape. It seems to be fine
>     now. So I'd
>     > like more information about this and suggestions as to what we
>     might do to
>     > get ZaraRadio running reliably again.
>     >
>     we should start by reinstalling with the newest version (if we dont
>     already have that).
>     > In the meantime, should we be copying all the ripped music on
>     the automation
>     > machine to another machine so we don't lose it? If so, how and
>     to where?
>     >
>     i can take care of this.
>     > --Gary
>     >
>     > _______________________________________________
>     > rfu-automation mailing list
>     > rfu-automation at lists.chambana.net
>     <mailto:rfu-automation at lists.chambana.net>
>     > http://lists.chambana.net/cgi-bin/listinfo/rfu-automation
>     >
>     >
>
>
>     --
>     Daniel
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
> rfu-tech mailing list
> rfu-tech at lists.chambana.net
> http://lists.chambana.net/cgi-bin/listinfo/rfu-tech
>   