Using Your CS Account

The first time you log in, it will most likely be through the use of one of the public workstations. The following text will show you what should happen, and what to do if it doesn't.

When you first come up to a workstation (this document assumes a Unix workstation), the screen may be blank. This is from a screensaver program. Just move the mouse a bit until the monitor turns on (it may take several seconds to warm up). At this point you should see one of 3 things: A login prompt, someone else's logged in session, or a screensaver login prompt asking a specific user to authenticate themselves. If you see something other than this you should notify labstaff once you login. If you don't see an empty login prompt you should move to a different computer. If the lab is full, or all the machines are otherwise in use and the screensaver has the ``Force Logout'' button, please feel free to use it. If the person abandoned their machine without locking it (BAD, NEVER, EVER DO THIS) you may also log them out after checking that they aren't in the room simply talking to some, or on the phone. Common sense and courtesy apply.

Once you find a machine to log into verify that it is asking you for your username. Occasionally the machines can get out of sync... a person may start to log in and then leave, or someone may bump the keyboard entering invalid data. If it is not asking for your username (instead it will be asking for a password), just hit return and wait a second for the prompt to change; do this until it asks for your username (you should only need to do it once, and in no circumstances more than 3 times. If you do then that machine needs to be reported to labstaff). Also verify that the CapsLock key is not on, and then enter your password and press enter. At this point the machine should be prompting for your password. Enter your password and press enter. At this point the screen should go mauve and a splash screen should be displayed as it starts processes for your log in session. Once you are logged in (and the splash screen goes away) go to the menu bar at the top of the screen and select ``Applications -> System Tools -> Terminal''. This will open a Unix command terminal. From terminals such as this you can issue many commands, and run most software. Most importantly you can use this to change your password.

-- StevenLindsey - 03 Feb 2009