High Tech at the Department of Legal Studies

CHSS has two computer labs with open hours. All computers in Dickson Hall labs are pc's. Special software used for SHSS classes is only available here, e.g., Legal Studies tutorial and testing programs.

Open Lab Hours:

Dickson (DI-280)

Monday - 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Tuesday - 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Wednesday - 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Thursday - 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Friday - 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday - 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Dickson (DI-281)

Saturday - 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Sunday - 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Dickson (DI-330)

By appointment

Westlaw/Lexis

Eligible pre-law and paralegal students must take the Westlaw and/or Lexis tutorial and pass the test in these labs to qualify for actual Westlaw/Lexis usage in the Legal Studies mini-lab, DI-330. See the department secretary or student assistants to schedule time in the mini-lab.

Alpha

Every registered student is entitled to an Alpha account. Go to any computer lab. Use

WINQvtNet or Telnet to access alpha.montclair.edu. When prompted for a Username> enter

student. Then choose #1 from the menu, create a new account. You will be prompted for your

name, SS #, PIN # (the 4-digit # you created for telephone registration), and phone number. The system will verify your info against the registration database. If all is in order, it will create your Alpha account. The computer will display your Username. Your Username is your last name plus your first initial, up to a max of 12 letters. If you and another student have the same last name and first initial, you may be given a variation. The system will then log off (close) by itself. You must complete the process by logging on again at alpha.montclair.edu. At the Username prompt enter what you were given by the system. The password you use just this once is welcome. You will then be prompted for a new password, which must be a minimum of six letters, and should not be a real word in the dictionary. Be prepared--think up a couple of alternatives ahead of time. Keep your password confidential at all times. Somewhere in this process you were also presented with the Guidelines for Responsible Computing. Read them carefully and take them seriously. The University does. Inappropriate behavior on the MSU system can get your Alpha privileges revoked faster than you can say "Information Superhighway."

Now That I Have It, What Do I Do With It?

The most popular service on Alpha is email. Send and receive electronic messages across the

room or across the globe. No charge, either way. How? Follow these easy guidelines:

1) Log on to the Alpha system with your Username and password.

2) At the $ prompt type in Mail

$ MAIL <Enter>

3) MAIL> send <=

4) TO:

If it is someone else on the MSU Alpha system, just type in their Username

TO: Username<=

If it is someone not on our Alpha system --i.e. the rest of the world--you have to use Pony

Express. TO: pony%"president@whitehouse.gov" <=

That's pony percent sign double-quote username (president) at sign root server

(whitehouse) period (dot) domain server (gov) double-quote <=

If you make an error in the address, the email will bounce back to you.

5) Subject: type in a subject, if you like <=

6) Write your message. This is not a fancy Windows word processing program. When you get

about three fourths of the way across the line, hit the <= key to go to the next line. Always

sign your name at the bottom.

7) To send use CTRL+Z

To cancel/abort use CTRL+C

What Is My Email Address?

Username@alpha.montclair.edu

To Read Incoming Mail:

1) Log on Alpha.

2) $ Mail<=

3) Mail> dir<= (This brings up the directory of all unread mail.)

4) If you just <= it will display message #1. If you wish to read your mail out of order, just

type the number you want. MAIL>6 <= displays message #6.

Old Mail:

Once you have read mail and exited Mail, those messages become old mail and can be found again

in select mail:

1) MAIL>select mail<=

2) # mail messages selected

3) MAIL> dir <= (to display directory of old mail)

Deleting Mail:

You cannot keep it forever. Disk space on the campus server is limited. To delete (get rid of)

when the directory is displayed:

MAIL> del 3,5,8 <= (will delete messages #3, #5 and #8)

To delete from a message:

MAIL> del (# is not needed, it deletes the current message you are in or just finished reading.)

Printing Mail:

There are directions when you log on to Alpha for selecting a printer queue.

Then there's the easy way. Use WINQvtNet to open Alpha and a word processing program.

Highlight, Edit/Copy what you want on Alpha (one screen at a time). Switch to the word

processing. Paste. Switch back to Alpha. (Toggle with ALT + TAB.) Do this until you have

what you need. Log off Alpha. Print from the word processing application. (Can also save to a

floppy disk.) This eliminates changing printer queue instructions every time you use a different

lab.

*******************************************************

To Get Out of Mail:

MAIL>exit<= (returns you to the prompt)

To Get Out of Alpha

$ lo<= (Log Off)

HELP!

Yes, there is Help.

$ help<= brings you a plethora of categories

MAIL> help<= (or any other topic, brings you help on that topic)

Keep in mind this is not Windows nor Macintosh software and you won't be too disappointed.

The Menu:

There is more to Alpha than just email.

$ menu<= displays what is available.

L takes you to the Sprague Library Online Catalog. You don't have to actually go to the library

to see if they have the book you need!

Y is for LYNX, a text web browser. You can also $ LYNX<= to get it.

LUG is the LYNX User's Guide.

MSU is the university's world wide web homepage.

M is Mail.

MP is Maple, a math program used for matrices in Math 113 and higher level courses.

EX is Exit to VMS, i.e. $ prompt.

LO is Log Off. This is how you get off Alpha. Can also be done at $.

Note: If you have dialed up from home, you will have to hang up the modem connection from

your software after logging off (LO).

These are the most user-friendly services on Alpha. If you are a new user, don't tackle Kermit

and Telnet just yet. If you aren't a new user, you probably don't need to read this.

Remote Access

If you have a computer with a modem and communications software, you can log on to the MSU

Alpha system from home. The dial in numbers for the University are: (201) 655-7580 and

655-5450 for 14.4K baud rate; and (201) 655-5434 for 2400K baud rate. Be aware that if this is

not a local call for you it will show up as a toll charge on your phone bill.

The World Wide Web

What is it and how do I get there?

The Web is thousands of servers linked together. You access them via software known as a web browser. Browsers come in two flavors, text and graphical. LYNX on the Alpha system is a text browser. Netscape is a graphical browser. A text browser runs at a much faster speed, since it doesn't have to load all those graphics. Graphical browsers are prettier to look at.

Where can I use Netscape?

Netscape is available on both pc's and Macs all over campus. You will find it under Communications in the Windows pc menu. Netscape is the most user-friendly software on the market. You can learn it in minutes!

Netscape 101

Open from the Communications icon in Program Manager. In Dickson Hall Netscape opens to the SHSS home page.

What is a home page?

It is a creation of text and graphics designed to visually represent a person or organization. Think of it as similar to an advertisement, but not necessarily commercial.

How do I get from one home page to another?

Computers locate home pages by their addresses, known as URL's. URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator. It always begins with http:// If you know where you want to go, clear the address in the Location box by placing the cursor there and deleting it. Type in the URL you want, <Enter>. Notice the Netscape logo, the white capital N that is walking over the planet. When you hit the <Enter> key, it begins looking for the URL you requested. Whenever Netscape is looking for a URL or still downloading graphics or text, there will be white shooting stars moving in the logo. When they stop, you can use the scroll bar to look at the page.

What is the significance of the colored print, i.e. blue? Colored print designates a link. Use the mouse to place the cursor on blue print. The cursor turns into a white hand. Click while pointing to blue print. Netscape will jump to another location, either in the same website or in a completely different website. Graphics can also be links.

Let's take a trip to the 'lectric Law Library!

Change the URL in the Location box to http://www.lectlaw.com/ <=. Within moments you are there! Not only is the 'lectric Law Library a useful and interesting law site, but at it is currently involved in a real live dispute, i.e. lawsuit, regarding domain names, trademarks, etc. Scroll down the page and click on the colored print that says "OK, the rest of you, follow me". This takes you to the tour. At the bottom of the tour page, click on the colored print that says The Rotunda. Scroll down to The News Room and click on it. Choose International Cabal of 48 Law Firm's..., etc. Here is the crsash course in trademark/domain name law. The case is nowhere near over...watch the website for late breaking news!

How do I get back to a page I was at previously?

Click on the Back button on the button bar just below the menu at the top of the screen to go back one site at a time. Or, click on Go on the menu bar. A pop-down menu displays all the sites you have visited. Click on the one you want and you are there!

Can I save any of this stuff?

Choose File/save as. It is saved with an .htm file extension and can only be viewed in a graphical web browser, i.e. Netscape. To save as word processing text, highlight, Edit/Copy, and Paste in word processing program. Then save as a regular document to a floppy disk. Have both Netscape and the word processing program open, toggle between them.

Can I save graphics?

Yes. Point to the graphic, click the right mouse button. Choose Save this image as...save to a floppy disk. Use Netscape to view it, File/Open File.

How are web pages created?

They are created with HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language). If you want to see it, while in Netscape at any site click on View/Source. Creation of a web page also requires special software, such at HTML Assistant or SoftQuad's HoTMetaLPro.

Lynx 101--the World Wide Web without the pictures

How do I get to Lynx?

Log on to Alpha. At $ prompt, LYNX<=. You got it. Welcome to Lynx and the World of the Web. Note the topics in yellow print. These are links, just like in Netscape. You are currently on whichever one is highlighted. It appears to have a grayish white background box around the words.

Open Lynx Faster!

$ lynx URL (use any website address, e.g. $ lynx http://www.lectlaw.com/ <=. You'll skip the Lynx welcome page and go directly to the ?lectric Law Library.)

How do I move around the screen?

Use the arrow keys, located just to the lower right of the Enter key. Down arrow to next highlighted topic, up arrow to previous topic, left arrow to go back a page or an entire document, and right arrow or Enter key to jump to the highlighted topic. The space bar takes you down a page. To learn more about Lynx, hit the down arrow key twice. You should be on About Lynx. Hit the right arrow or <=. In About Lynx go down to the Lynx User's Guide <=. Hit the space bar once to view a list of topics. Use the arrow and <= keys to go where you want. To go back, use the left arrow key.

Where do I enter the URL that I want to go to?

Type the letter g for GO TO. "URL to open:" is highlighted at the bottom left. Type in your URL, e.g., http://www.montclair.edu <=. Off you go!

How do I exit Lynx?

While in any URL just type q for quit. Lynx will ask, Are you sure you want to quit? Y for yes, N for no. If No, it says Excellent! Choose Y and it quits back to the Alpha $ prompt. Use upper case Q and it will quit to the $ immediately, no questions asked.

How do I save?

Enter the letter d. At the bottom of the screen it will flash text/html, then it goes to a screen entitled Download Options. Save to a Disk is highlighted. Hit enter to save. Yes, it saved, but not to your hard drive or floppy disk. It's saved in your Alpha directory. At the $ prompt, type DIR <= and check to see if it's there. Now you can copy/paste it into a word processing application, then save to disk, or save directly from the Alpha directory to a disk using WinQVTNet. (*See WinQVTNet section for directions.)

Can I see where I've been?

Yes. Just like clicking on Go in Netscape, here you can use the backspace key. Lynx will display your history page, i.e. the names of the sites you have visited in descending order. Note that all are in yellow text. Use the down and up arrow keys to highlight one you wish to return to, <=.

WinQVT/Net

Is a cool Windows program that let's you upload or download files between your disk (hard drive or floppy) and your Alpha file directory via ftp (file transfer protocol).

How?

Open WinQVT/Net from the communications applications (same as Netscape) on a pc.
Click on the ftp icon.
Click on Session, then choose Open.
At the ftp login, the Host box should read: alpha.montclair.edu . If that is not what is there, delete anything else that is in the box, and type it in or select it from a pop down menu.
Use the mouse or tab key to move to Username box. Type in your Alpha Username.
Move to the Password box, enter your password and click on OK.
New screen displays: >open alpha.montclair.edu

ftp service read.

Username (yours) logged in, directory Disk$User#(username).

8. The cursor is now at the bottom of the screen at the ftp> prompt.

9. At ftp> lcd a: (That's local change directory to the A drive). The screen above reads: Local

directory now A: . Now you are ready to PUT or GET. Think of PUT-UP and

GET-DOWN to avoid confusion. These are copying commands.

Now that I've changed to lcd a: how do I PUT-UP a file from my disk to my Alpha directory?

At ftp> put filename.ext <= (e.g. ftp>put history.doc <=)
The screen now displays message that the file transfer completed OK, plus the stats on how

much went how fast.

3. Unless there are more files to move, be polite and say goodbye.

ftp> bye

It says goodbye back to you and closes out.

How do I know it really worked?

Go check. Log on to Alpha. At the $ DIR <= . The files are in alphabetical order. If the directory zips by too fast to read, use the mouse on the scroll bar to see the files that whizzed past. History.doc;1 should be there. If there is more than one copy or version, each will have a different number. The higher the number, the newer the file.

Can I email this file to someone else?

No problem.

At $ mail filename.ext;# <=. It prompts you TO: (Whom are you sending it to?) Another Alpha user only requires their Username<=. (TO: clintonh)

Out of Alpha would be TO: pony%"friend@someplace.else.edu"<= . Just using <= (Enter) here sends it off. Do not use the Ctrl+Z command.

My buddy emailed me a file; how do I get it off Alpha?

First, we have to extract it from your email. Log on to your Alpha, go into that email message containing the file. When you are anyplace in that message, at the MAIL> extract <=. Then you will be prompted -File: . Name the file, e.g. pizza.doc <=. Then you see a message that the file is now in your directory. It will automatically be followed by ;1 (semicolon one), if it's the only pizza.doc file.

Now, let's GET it from Alpha and bring it down to your disk. Repeat Steps 1-9 in How? above. You should be logged onto WinQVT/Net and done the local change directory to a: .

At ftp> get filename.ext (e.g, get pizza.doc;1)
The screen now displays message that the file transfer completed OK, plus the stats on how

much went how fast.

3. Unless there are more files to move, be polite and say goodbye.

ftp> bye

It says goodbye back to you and closes out.

Did it really work?

Check your A: directory. Now you can bring the file up in your word processing program to read, edit, print, whatever.

Search Engines

A search engine is a website/database that helps you to locate other websites. Think of a search engine as an on-line directory. There are hardcopy internet/website directories, however, the information changes so rapidly that they can be out-of-date before the ink dries.