Message-ID: <52@uwvax.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 16-Nov-84 17:49:39 EST
Article-I.D.: uwvax.52
Posted: Fri Nov 16 17:49:39 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 17-Nov-84 20:20:48 EST
References: <150@harvard.ARPA> <246@byucsa.UUCP>
Organization: U of Wisconsin CS Dept
Lines: 44

> We are facing the same crunch that most everyone else has.  We have 750's
> with over 300 active users on two of our three machines.  When compiler
> class and operating system class get pushing hard near the end of the 
> semester, people are very hard pressed to get the needed computer time.
> 
> The good old days would be nice but we must face the reality of numbers.
> The only good solution is more equipment, money for which is extremely
> difficult to come by.
> -- 

Here at a different UW (Wisconsin), of course the situation is similar.  It
is incredible how much both the hardware and demand for same have increased.
Why, just two years ago, I had a class on the department's 11/70, and was
glad because I didn't have to use the 11/45!  Now we have many more resources
but it isn't enough.  The instructional 750 has about 450 active users on it
and the 780 has about 1000 and its load hovers at 30.  Similar situation for
the other instructional machines.

Even so, a group of us have noticed just this phenomenon at UW -- oppor-
tunities for "independent, unsupervised research" (call it hacking if you
like) have become nonexistent with this expansion.  It's like you leave
your hometown and it grows into a city in you absence, and loses that
"special" flavor in the meantime.

What we are doing about it is attempting to bootstrap an undergraduate
projects lab.  So far, the hardware it has is modest, but there is a
definite and growing interest.  Also, declared CS majors are allowed
a free account on the 750, and we have set up a big global mail alias
for "anyone interested in learning things outside of classwork, and
communicating with others of similar intent."  This last has worked out
rather well, and we are actually getting some people less familiar with
unix hacking, etc. interested in learning.  It feels good. While not
ideal, the situation looks promising for those who didn't have the more
relaxed learning atmosphere that I enjoyed.  (Gad -- how can I feel old?
I am only a senior....)

The future need not be bleak.

derek

-- 
Derek Zahn @ wisconsin
...!{allegra,heurikon,ihnp4,seismo,sfwin,ucbvax,uwm-evax}!uwvax!derek
derek@wisc-rsch.arpa