SigUnix Update

by Luke Nosek

SIGUnix, the Special Interest Group for UNIX operating systems, will be starting off the year with several interesting projects and informative workshops, but is in need of active members to pursue them to completion. Currently, we are working on the Illinet-Mosaic interface project, which will allow you to access the Illinois library network using a WWW Browser such as Mosaic, offering a graphical user interface rather than the current text-based one. If the result is good enough, our work may be adopted by Illinet sites across the state.

We're also considering doing workshops on several topics. Some being considered are: intermediate level Unix tools (an overview of shells, scripting languages, etc.), the X Window System (how to customize your setup, different window managers, etc.), and writing and setting up HTML forms.

If anyone is interested in parallel processing, we might also consider doing something (the form of which is undetermined at this point) with the PVM distributed processing system currently installed on the several hundred engineering workstations.

Come to 1102 DCL on Wednesdays at 8pm if you are interested in helping out in one of our projects. If you don't think you have the necessary background, remember that half the purpose of SIG projects is to learn; we'll teach you what you need to know.