Ada.cs.pdx.edu is a new host for remote logins in CS.  (It can also be referred to with a more generic name of  linux.cs.pdx.edu.)   This machine (a Silicon Mechanics system with 40 cores and 256G ram) runs the same version of Ubuntu Linux currently running in the CS Linux Labs.

Any user with a CS Linux account will be able to log into this machine.  With the Linux Labs seeing increased use for directed lab sessions (along with network access restrictions for some sessions), ada will serve as a general use host for CS students and faculty to work without interruptions

On April 8th, 2014, after 12 years of service, Windows XP is finally reaching its support End of Life.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/enterprise/endofsupport.aspx

This means that security updates and patches will no longer be available for Windows XP. Unpatched systems are a security liability and cannot be left networked (ie: exposed to other MCECS computers and the Internet).

After April 8, any CAT supported machines in MCECS which need to continue running Windows XP for software/hardware compatibility reasons will need to be be converted to Tier 3 (unsupported) systems and effectively disconnected from our network

Dropbox, an online file repository/backup service, has been gaining in popularity. Its ease of setup and use for personal systems has resulted in rapid adoption among people trying to sync and transfer data between home desktops, laptops and other mobile devices.

We are seeing increased use of this service among faculty, staff and student users. While Dropbox is a hit at home, it has had a rocky road trying to adapt to corporate and centrally driven IT environments - both at a technical and policy level. MCECS users face many of these same challenges.