CISE Help & Resources
Getting Help
There are several sources of help at CISE, but not all are appropriate for all types of problems.
System problem
Problems with CISE computers or operating systems or any problem which is affecting the department (or a class) in general should be reported to the system staff. Starting 2/12/2004, we request that users use the
to report problems or request support.
For more information on using GNATS, see the GNATS Help Page
The mailing list consult@cise.ufl.edu can still be used for questions or discussions, but when requesting an action item (something that needs to be done by the Systems Staff), please use GNATS.
Please use the following guidelines when submitting problems:
- Make sure that the problem is appropriate to report. If a piece of software installed by the staff is malfunctioning, or if there is a problems with your account, or a problem with a computer malfunctioning, it should be reported here. Problems of a type described above should not be reported to the system staff unless it has been determined that the problem is caused by a problem with the computer.
- If there is a problem with using GNATS, send mail to detailing what the current problem is and noting that there is a problem with GNATS.
All problem reports must include the following information:
- An accurate description of the problem, not just a vague "there's a problem" message.
- The name of the computer you were logged in on. This information is absolutely essential.
- The full text of any error message that occurs.
For example, the following two reports illustrated the difference.
I am having problems reading email.
compared to:
I use netscape to read email. I tried to get new mail,
but it didn't show any new messages. I sent myself a
simple test message, 5 minutes ago but it hasn't shown
up, so I know there is new email there. I'm reading on
the machine sun114-11. No error message showed up...
it just acted as if there was no new email.
The only thing we can do with the first report is to respond with a question about what happened. With the second report, we can probably fix the problem.
You can ask a consultant personally about system problems. They are usually on duty in the CSE114 Lab. You can even see who is on duty at a given time by checking the online CSE114 Lab Schedule. The E114 Lab/Consultant Hours are online, posted physically on the door to CSE E114.
The consultant is stationed in E114, but may be found elsewhere in the lab, when they are helping other users. Sometimes the consultant must go elsewhere on the 3rd or 4th floors to assist someone. If you cannot find this person, please use mail to contact them. If you see someone in the lab that you know is a consultant, but is not on duty, please do not disturb them. Most of our staff are also students and need to be able to complete their classwork.
Problems related to course materials
All questions regarding course materials and assignements must be directed to the course instructor or TAs. Questions of this nature may not be directed to the consultants or system staff as we are unable to determine what it is appropriate to answer, and what is expected to be determined by the student.
Problems using a certain piece of software
If you need help using a certain command or program at CISE, it is generally your responsibility to learn how to use the software, and should not be addressed to the CISE consultants or system staff. Several sources of help are available to you though.
Many UNIX commands have online documentation. See the CISE software help page for information.
CISE maintains a fairly good library available at the consult desk in CSE 114. Ask a consultant for help on finding and borrowing books from this library. These include books on many programming languages, security, databases, etc., and are available to CISE students to check out for a limited time. The Marston Science Library occupying the other half of the CSE/Marston complex has books on every computer subject imaginable.
Perhaps the best resource is the web itself. Search indexes (like Google) or master indexes (like Yahoo) will allow you to find information on practically every computer topic. Use of these resources will help you grow into a computer scientist.
Problems in programs written by students
One of the most common types of problems reported to the CISE consultants are of the form: my program isn't working.
The bulk of these questions are the responsiblity of the student to solve. Unfortunately, the resources available to the department do not allow the system staff the time necessary to debug problems of this nature.
Most problems have an accompanying error message. The first thing that every CISE student should do is to try to understand the problem. The web will be of help here. Most errors can be solve using only the error message and a quick web search.
Class TAs may be of help in solving this type of problem. In addition, web pages about the programming language and web search engines will be useful in tracking down the problem.
The only time when it is appropriate to report this type of problem to the system staff is when the problem is a result of problems with the machine or operating system.