BNL HET & NT: Computing, etc.

New version of this page.

• Overview of machines, accounts, etc.

• Network Security

  BNL has installed a firewall to protect the local network from intrusion. As a result, you must use use proxy machines to acces several Internet protocols. (Don't blame us!)
  • setting up ssh to minimize typing passwords
  • To access the Web (http) via Netscape:
    • go to edit-->preferences-->advanced-->proxies
    • Choose "Automatic Proxy configuration"
    • Enter "http://security.bnl.gov/proxy/cfg.pac" in the box
    • Click on "Reload"
  • For other Web access, such as lynx and Debian apt-get, insert in your .bashrc the line
    "export http_proxy=http://192.168.1.3:3128"
  • For access from BNL to outside computers, use ssh/scp on quark or any of the Linux machines (i.e. "ssh username@remote.host.name"). If you absolutely must revert to telnet or ftp, look under the following "Software" link, and change your passwords often.
  • To get onsite from offsite computers you must go through one of the "gateways." Quark is one; so, to reach your workstation from offsite, ssh to quark and then proceed. This can be done in one command "ssh -t user@quark.phy.bnl.gov ssh user@work.station" Set up an alias; the -t is necessary.
  • DHCP is available on the local network; so, if you set your laptop to automatically get its ip address, it should work. HOWEVER, to keep from being cut off, you need to register its ethernet card; go here to do this. If you move your laptop between on and off site, you will also need to go through the annoyance of doing/undoing the above proxy setting in your browser.

• Software

• Software documentation

  • TeX and LaTeX documentation. (served by bigbang; only reachable on site since we are untrustworthy)
  • Dvips: a utility to convert dvi files to postscript
  • Gnuplot: a powerful plotting program
  • Ghostview: a public-domain postscript previewer
  • RevTeX 4 author and compuscript guides for the TeX macros from the Physical Review. (RevTeX 3 remains available.)
  • TeXsis 2.17: TeX Macros for Physicists by E. Myers and F.E. Paige
  • CERN PDFlib: the Parton Distribution Function package from CERN
  • Users guide to the QCDSP
  • The debian help system . Includes the linux HOWTO's. (served by bigbang; only reachable on site)

• High Energy/Nuclear Theory Preprint Numbers

  • These are not officially recognized by anyone; use them only for your own convenience.
  • Click here to get a BNL-HET preprint number for a new High Energy Theory preprint (valid username/password required).
  • This is the list of BNL-HET preprints.
  • Click here to get a BNL-NT preprint number for a new Nuclear Theory preprint (valid username/password required).
  • This is the list of BNL-NT preprints.

• Mindterm

  Mindterm is an ssh Java applet that allows you to login to quark via ssh from a Web browser. This is very handy if you want to check your email while on the road.

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