Section 5395

Offered Online

Getting Started

Welcome to our virtual classroom!

You will use the World Wide Web, e-mail, and your textbooks to learn the basics of the Unix/Linux operating system.

Please be aware that online courses may require more time and energy than the traditional course. You must be extremely disciplined, as there are no class meetings to remind you to study, and you have to meet the same deadlines as those for the traditional course. If you learn by doing and seeing, the online course may not be right for you. Set up a regular schedule of between four and six hours per week to work on course material. You also need to be very good at reading and following directions.

Please complete the assignments by the dates specified in the assignment schedule, whether you are regularly enrolled or are on the waiting list. Students who cannot complete these assignments typically do not have the skills needed to succeed in this on-line course.

It is essential that you become familiar with the on-line materials right away. Explore the site thoroughly, as it contains many useful tools and references for your online classroom experience.

I look forward to meeting you online! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Things to do first

1. Review

   the syllabus page for information about the course.

2. Check in with CATE.

   Here, you will create your CATE system (Center for Advanced Technology in Education) user name and CATE password, which you will use to reach the exams and gradebook. These are not your student.santarosa.edu user name and password, which reside on the separate Linux system. Simply fill in the online section 5395 checkin form.

3. Apply for an account

   on student.santarosa.edu, the SRJC Linux server. Please do this immediately. It can take up to a week for the administrators to create your new account. To apply for your account:
   • Go to the web site http://student.santarosa.edu
   • Click on "Application for Student Account" or go directly to https://student.santarosa.edu/apply/
   • In the blanks at the bottom of the page enter your SRJC student identification number and birth date.
   • Click the "Submit Form" button.
   • You may check back at the above page to see if your account exists yet.

4. Complete

   lab exercise 1 by January 25:
5. • In the first lab exercise, you will join the unix-intro mailing list and post a message there introducing yourself.  Use this mailing list to ask questions about course content, and to help others by answering questions and sharing ideas.
   • Password Note:  The unix-intro list has its own password, which you create when you join the list.

Exams:

• Mid-Term Exam, available March 1 through March 6 only
• Final Exam, available May 17 through May 22 only

The gradebook

Other Resources

• The Unix Resources page will provide you with places to get you started in suplementing the course materials.
• See Secure Telnet Alternatives for information about getting online with the student.santarosa.edu system.

© 2008 Eric Skagerberg & Gary Brown
Computer & Information Sciences Department
Santa Rosa Junior College

2008/01/20