<!-- Source file "vc.faq.html.src" intended for preprocessing with faq2html -->
<FAQ-PREAMBLE>
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>EIES&reg/VC&reg FAQ</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<H2><CENTER>EIES<SUP>&reg</SUP>/Virtual Classroom<SUP>&reg</SUP><BR>
Frequently Asked Questions</CENTER></H2>
<br>
<a name=top><h2>Contents</h2></a>
<hr>

<FAQ-Q-SECT NAME=eies>
What is VC/EIES?

<FAQ-A-SECT NAME=vc>
The <i>Virtual Classroom<SUP>&reg</SUP></i> is an ongoing effort by 
<a href="http://www.njit.edu">NJIT</a> to apply new technologies to 
education.  One
component of the VC effort is the use of EIES as a teaching environment.

<FAQ-Q NAME=eies>
What is EIES?

<FAQ-A>
The Electronic Information Exchange System (EIES) was first created by 
Dr. Murry Turoff and Dr. Roxanne Hiltz and others in 1975.  Two complete
rewrites have occured since then to follow the evolution of host hardware, 
programming languages, and functionality.  

<FAQ-Q-SECT NAME=newaccounts>
How do I get an account?

<FAQ-A-SECT>
Instructions for creating an account are available at 
<a href="http://www.njit.edu/CCCC/Docs/CreateAcct.html">http://www.njit.edu/CCCC/Docs/CreateAcct.html</a>.

<FAQ-Q-SECT NAME=connecting>
Connecting to VC-EIES

<FAQ-A-SECT>
You must have an Internet connection to use VC/EIES.

<FAQ-Q NAME=njit_gives>
Can NJIT give me an Internet connection?

<FAQ-A>
Refer to the <a href="http://telecom.njit.edu">Telecom &amp; Networks</a> 
homepage at <a href="http://telecom.njit.edu">http://telecom.njit.edu</a>
for information on connecting via NJIT's modems or from an NJIT dormitory.
Also see
<A HREF="http://www.njit.edu/CSD/Docs/current.html#option_b">Connecting 
to the NJIT Campus Network</A> for instructions.

<FAQ-Q NAME=isp>
What is an "ISP"?

<FAQ-A>
An "Internet Service Provider" or an "ISP" is used to make a connection to 
the Internet, usually via modem.  You use the modem in your PC to call the 
ISP's modem bank(s), and the PC and the modem negotate a connection for
Internet access.  The connection can then be used to send or receive e-mail,
browse the internet, and of course connect to VC/EIES.
<p>
Popular ISPs include 
<a href="http://www.aol.com">AOL</a><sup>&reg;</sup>, 
<a href="http://www.worldnet.att.net">AT&amp;T World Net</a><sup>&reg;</sup>, 
<a href="http://www.erols.com">Erols</a><sup>&reg;</sup>, 
<a href="http://msn.com">MSN</a><sup>&reg;</sup>, 
<a href="http://www.prodigy.com">Prodigy</a><sup>&reg;</sup>,  
<a href="http://www.sprint.net">Sprint</a><sup>&reg;</sup>,
and numerious other commercial providers, both large and small.
(NJIT does not make endorsments or recommendations on these or any other 
commercial provicers.)
<p>
<a href="http://telecom.njit.edu">NJIT</a>
also provides ISP connections for faculty and staff, as do most other
academic organizations.
<p>
Other types of ISP are ISDN from your local telephone carrier and
cable-modem from your local cable-tv provider.

<FAQ-Q NAME=canuseisp>
NJIT is a toll call!  Can I use an Internet Service Provider (ISP)?

<FAQ-A>
Typical ISP services can be used to connect to VC/EIES.  If you can use a Web
browser from your home PC's ISP connection, then you can use VC/EIES.

<FAQ-Q NAME=canusework>
Can I use my Internet connection at work?

<FAQ-A>
Given that your employer doesn't mind, yes.  Some employers use have their 
Internet connection protected by software and hardware (aka "a firewall")
with the intention of limiting use from within or without their private 
network.
<p>
Check the <strong>Troubleshooting</strong> section appearing later if you
encounter errors connecting to VC/EIES.

<FAQ-Q NAME=after_connect>
Okay, I'm on the internet, what now?
<FAQ-Q NAME=url>
What's the URL?
<FAQ-Q NAME=which_url>
Where do I connect?

<FAQ-A>
Use <a href="http://vc.njit.edu">http://vc.njit.edu</a> to get a signon
screen to VC/EIES.  Then click the link entitled "VC/EIES Signon".  
Bookmark this page for later signon instead of the "VC/EIES Signon" screen.

<FAQ-Q NAME=bookmark>
Why <strong>NOT</strong> bookmark the "VC/EIES Signon" screen?

<FAQ-A>
The HTTP address and port used by VC/EIES can be changed without notice.  These
can change with the status of hardware and/or software.  VC/EIES is 
distributed across several computer systems; we automatically select the 
fastest running system when you signon.

<FAQ-Q-SECT NAME=troubleshooting>
Troubleshooting

<FAQ-A-SECT>
Please attempt to rectify problems yourself before contacting NJIT's Computing
Services Helpdesk.  

<FAQ-Q NAME=firewall>
Firewall and proxy server settings

<FAQ-Q NAME=error510>
ERROR 510 / Service not available to you

<FAQ-Q NAME=proxyerror>
Proxy Server Error(s)

<FAQ-A>
Some employers limit access into and out of the corporate network with 
"firewall" or proxy servers.  Only the network administrator of the corporate
network can remedy this situation by permitting connections to the following
host/port combinations.  
<P>
<TABLE BORDER=1 CELLPADDING=5 CELLSPACING=2 width=100%>
	<TR>
		<td align=center>
		<!-- "This space intentionally left blank." -->&nbsp;
		</td>
		<td align=center>
			<b>IP HOST NAME (IP ADDRESS)</b>
		</td>
		<td align=center>
			<b>PORT NUMBER</b>
		</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
		<td align=center>
			<b>INITIAL&nbsp;CONNECTION</b>&nbsp;==&gt;
		</td>
		<td align=center>
			vc.njit.edu (128.235.251.45)
		</td>
		<td align=center>
			80
		</td>
	</TR>
	<TR>
		<td align=center>
			<b>SUBSEQUENT&nbsp;CONNECTIONS</b>&nbsp;==&gt;
			<p>
			Once connected, users will be automatically be routed 
			to one of the following.
		</TD>
		<TD align=center>
			<br>vc.njit.edu (128.235.251.45)
			<br>eies.njit.edu (128.235.251.164)
			<br>blue.eies.njit.edu (128.235.251.70)
			<br>forum.njit.edu (128.235.251.82)
			<br>helios.njit.edu (128.235.251.42)
			<br>argus.njit.edu (128.235.242.100)
			<br>mule.njit.edu (128.235.251.85)
			<br>hardin.njit.edu (128.235.251.88)
			<br>arkady.njit.edu (128.235.251.86)
			<br>bayta.njit.edu (128.235.251.87)
		</TD>
		<td align=center>
			<br>81
			<br>5000-5009
			<br>51022
			<br>51023
		</td>
	</TR>
	<tr>
		<td align=center>
			<b>EASY&nbsp;SOLUTION</b>&nbsp;==&gt;
			<p>
			Shortcut proxy/firewall configuration
		</td>
		<td align=center>
			128.235.251.*
		<p>
			(Currently all main <a href="http://www.njit.edu/CSD">NJIT/CSD</a> 
			systems are within this subnetwork.)
		</td>
		<td align=center>
			Allow all IP ports.
		</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
		<td align=center>
			<b>NOTES</b>&nbsp;==&gt;
		</td>
		<td>
		IP address numbers can change without notice.
		Please use the IP host name whenever possible, as these do not change.
		</td>
		<td>
			Any or all of these ports 
			are used by the systems listed on the 
			left.
		</td>
	</tr>
</TABLE>
<P>

If you continue to have difficulty connecting via your office you can use 
a modem to directly connect to NJIT.

See 
<A HREF="http://www.njit.edu/CSD/Docs/current.html#option_b">Connecting 
to the NJIT Campus Network</A> at
<A HREF="http://www.njit.edu/CSD/Docs/current.html#option_b">http://www.njit.edu/CSD/Docs/current.html</a>
for instructions.  

Alternately you may 
telnet to EIES/VC, as described in
<A HREF="http://www.njit.edu/CCCC/Docs/telnet.html">Connecting
to EIES/VC via Telnet From a Remote Host</A>  
at <A HREF="http://www.njit.edu/CCCC/Docs/telnet.html">http://www.njit.edu/CCCC/Docs/telnet.html</a>.

<FAQ-Q NAME=without_ppp>
Is there any way to connect without PPP?

<FAQ-A NAME=vt100>
An obsolete but functional interface to VC/EIES exists, using telnet with 
VT-100 terminal emulation.  As of this writing it can still be used to 
connect to VC/EIES, but is subject to discontinuance without notice.
See <A HREF="http://www.njit.edu/CCCC/Docs/vt100man/Intro.htm">
The EIES Starting Guide, (VT100 version)</A> at 
<A HREF="http://www.njit.edu/CCCC/Docs/vt100man/Intro.htm">http://www.njit.edu/CCCC/Docs/vt100man/Intro.htm</a>
for instructions.

<FAQ-Q-SECT NAME=homepages>
What about WWW home pages?

<FAQ-A-SECT>
The VC system is provides web page hosting for faculty, staff, and students,
but in its role as Virtual Classroom faculty and staff are given priority
for teaching material.

<FAQ-Q NAME=homepage>
How do I set up my WWW homepages?

<FAQ-A>
Your VC/EIES account has a VC/UNIX account assocated 
with it.  See <a href="#telnet">Connecting with Telnet</a> for instructions 
on connecting to the VC/UNIX side, including setting up your UNIX password.
<p>
Your VC/UNIX account will also have a blank Web page already setup for you if
your account was created on or after August 24, 1998.  You can check to see if
the page exists with a browser (Netscape or MS Internet Explorer):  Just enter 
<type>http://eies.njit.edu/~<i>login</i></type> and you should get a blank page.
See "<a href="#unixname">What is My UNIX Login Name?</a>" to determine your 
UNIX <i>login</i>.  [Please note that http://vc.njit.edu/~<i>login</i> will
also work starting in November 1998, and will be the preferred address.]
<p>
If you don't have a working Web page as described, then just telnet to 
vc.njit.edu and enter these commands:
<pre><strong>
	mkdir public_html
	chmod 711 public_html
	cd public_html
	touch index.html
	chmod 644 index.html
</strong></pre>
At this point you should be able to get a <i>blank</i> homepage on your Web 
browser.  You can edit your page using Netscape Page Composer or similar 
software.
<p>
Or you could make your Web page the old-fashoned way, by hand.  This is a great
way to something up quickly, but you will have to study the HTML language to
have any more than the basics.  To edit by had, continue the telnet session
shown above with this:
<pre><strong>
	pico index.html
</strong></pre>
In this "pico" is a simple editor.  You can use "vi" or "emacs" if you know
those editors.
<p>
Here is an example of the minumum web page; you can copy-n-paste this into Pico:
<pre><strong>
	&lt;html&gt;
	&lt;head&gt;
	&lt;title&gt;
	My web page
	&lt;/title&gt;
	&lt;/head&gt;
	&lt;body&gt;
	Welcome to my web page!
	&lt;/body&gt;
	&lt;/html&gt;
</strong></pre>
For more information on HTML coding please see 
<a href="http://www.hwg.org">The HTML Writers Guild 
(http://www.hwg.org)</a>; their homepage has a pretty 
complete list of links to other
resources.

<FAQ-Q NAME=telnet>
Notes about "telnet"

<FAQ-A>
Telnet is used for logging into the VC/UNIX system.  
You will have to already have a connection to VC as described in
<a href="#connecting">Connecting to VC/EIES</a>.  You must also have 
<i>telnet</i>
software, which might be included with your Web browser.  Enter this as the
URL to goto:
<pre><strong>
	telnet://vc.njit.edu
</strong></pre>
If your browser does not support telnet in this fashion then try to run
"telnet vc.njit.edu" under Win95/Win98/WinNT.
<p>
Upon connecting you will receive a prompt something like this:
<pre>
	UNIX(r) System V Release 4.0
	login:
</pre>
Enter your VC/UNIX login name (see
"<a href="#unixname">What is My UNIX Login Name?</a>" if you don't know it.)
The system will then prompt:
<pre>
	Password:
</pre>
Your VC/UNIX password can be different than your VC/EIES account; and at the
present time changing one does not change the other.  After you enter the
password the follwing menu is displayed:
<pre>
	Please select from the following interfaces:

		V -- Virtual Classroom(tm) with VT-100 terminal interface;
		<!-- O -- Old Virtual Classroom (summer 1998 database); -->
		U -- Run UNIX shell;

	Your choice:
</pre>
Select "<strong>U</strong>" for UNIX at this menu.
The "bash$" prompt shows that you are at UNIX shell.  Please refer to a UNIX
primer if you are unfamilar with UNIX--almost any such book will do.

<FAQ-Q NAME=unixpasswd>
VC/UNIX password
<FAQ-Q NAME=no_passwd>
I didn't get a UNIX "passwd" prompt!
<FAQ-Q NAME=passwd_not_set>
It said "UNIX password not set"

<FAQ-A>
You can set your UNIX password through the VC/EIES
menu.  Telnet to VC/UNIX as shown above in 
<a href="#telnet"> Notes about "telnet"</a>
and select "V" (Virtual Classroom)
at the menu.
<p>
This starts the <i>character cell</i> interface to VC/EIES.  It will
ask you
<pre>
	Terminal (vt100) >
</pre>
and just RETURN should do, and then asks:
<pre>
	Password >
</pre>
Enter the VC/EIES password you use to log in when accessing VC/EIES 
via the web (at http://vc.njit.edu).  It then prompts:
<pre>
	ACTION CHOICE>
</pre>
Enter this command to change your VC/UNIX password:
<pre><strong>
	!passwd
</strong></pre>
(Including the exclamation symbol.)  You will then be prompted twice
to enter your password:
<pre>
	New password:
	Re-enter new password:
</pre>
The password will not show as you type it in.  The system might ask you
use a more complicated password if it thinks the one you put in is too
simple.
<p>
Please note that you might also be asked this:
<pre>
	Enter login password: 
	New password:
	Re-enter new password:
</pre>
This indicates that you already have a VC/UNIX password set.  You must
know what the current password is to change it.  You must contact us
as shown <A href="#contacts">below</a> if you do not know the password.

<FAQ-Q NAME=move_mhz>
How do I move my Megahertz pages to VC/UNIX?
<FAQ-Q NAME=move_pages>
How do I move any Web pages to VC/UNIX?

<FAQ-A>
First you must have a VC/UNIX password as described in
"<a href="#unixpasswd">Unix password</a>".
<p>
Second you must have your VC/UNIX account set up for Web pages as discussed in
"<a href="#homepage">How do I set up my WWW homepages</a>".
<p>
Then you either use <i>FTP</i> to copy your pages to VC/UNIX, or you can use
an editor as discussed in "<a href="#htmlauthoring">HTML Authoring Tools</a>".
<p>
The FTP route can get pretty quick results:
<pre>
	<i>Log onto Megahertz or other system, then type these commands</i>
	
	<strong>cd public_html
	ftp vc.njit.edu</strong>

	<i>FTP will ask for your VC/EIES username and password</i>
	<i>Then it prompts you with "ftp> "</i>
	<i>Just answer as shown here:</i>

	<i>ftp> </i><strong>cd public_html</strong>
	<i>ftp> </i><strong>prompt</strong>
	<i>ftp> </i><strong>binary</strong>
	<i>ftp> </i><strong>mput *</strong>
	<i>ftp> </i><strong>quit</strong>
</pre>
If your pages contain references to megahertz.njit.edu or another system, you
must edit them to remove these references.  You can edit them using "pico"
as described in "<a href="#homepage">How do I set up my WWW homepages</a>" or
as with one of the products mentioned in  
"<a href="#htmlauthoring">HTML Authoring Tools</a>".

<FAQ-Q NAME=htmlauthoring>
HTML Authoring Tools

<FAQ-A>
<xxxx><i>Answer forthcoming!</i>

<FAQ-Q NAME=cgi>
Can I put a CGI executable on my web page?

<FAQ-A>
We regretfully do not support CGI hosting on the system at this time.  This is
an unfortunately necessity because it is quite difficult to protect the system
from attack anywhere on the Internet vi CGI executables.
<p>
We certainly do want to support CGI and are examining several methods of
doing so at a reduced risk.

<FAQ-q NAME=diskquota>
What is disk quota?  How much space do I get?

<FAQ-a>
Faculty and staff have a default quota of 5MB; students recieve 3MB.
You can ask for more space via email to 
<a href="mailto:help@vc.njit.edu">help@vc.njit.edu</a> or via one of
the contacts mentioned in
<a href="http://www.njit.edu/CSD/Help/csdhelp.html">http://www.njit.edu/CSD/Help/csdhelp.html</a>

<FAQ-Q-SECT NAME=email>
Email issues

<FAQ-Q NAME=email_address>
What is my Email address?

<FAQ-A>
Your VC/EIES account can receive mail in three different ways: With your
login number, or your nickname, or your fullname.  For example, suppose
that VC/EIES shows your name as: 
<pre>
	John Q. Public (JQP, 12345)
</pre>
Then any of the following will work:
<pre>
	"John Q. Public"@vc.njit.edu
	JQP@vc.njit.edu
	12345@vc.njit.edu
</pre>
<strong>Caution!</strong>  You can change your nickname or your fullname in
the VC/EIES directory menu, but after you change it you can no longer recieve
email with the old name.  So in the example above, if the nickname is changed
to "Public@vc.njit.edu" then "JQP@vc.njit.edu" will not work anymore!
<p>
For this reason we usually suggest that you use just the 12345@vc.njit.edu
version of your email address.

<FAQ-Q NAME=reply-to>
Why are messages sent with "Reply-to: M9876.1@vc.njit.edu"?

<FAQ-Q NAME=extra_people>
I replied to a message and it went to extra people!

<FAQ-A>
One of the unique features of VC/EIES is that it can maintain the relationship
between messages sent in an ongoing discussion.  Within VC/EIES itself this
is easy to do, but some tricks are used when mail goes out to the Internet
in general.  In particular, your messages show a "From:" header with your name
it it, but also a "Reply-To:" header containing the VC/EIES message number.
No matter what email client the receipents of your message use to reply, their
response will be connected to your message so you can easily track and 
look back at discusions you've had using VC/EIES.  
<p>
No solution to any problem is perfect:  In this case, people will accidentally
record "M9876.1@vc.njit.edu" as your email address instead of 
"12345@vc.njit.edu" or "JQP@vc.njit.edu".
<p>
VC/EIES also tracks who a message was sent to within or without VC/EIES, and
sends a copy of all responses to the other recipients of the origional message.
This insures that all the people in a particular message discussion are
completely up to date on the discussion.  
<p>
The messages sent to people outside VC/EIES do indicate who the entire message
is sent to, but there is unfortunately no way to agressively alert the receiver
that a response will go to these other people listed in the origional message.

<FAQ-Q-SECT NAME=new_database>
What is this about a "new database" for Fall 1998 semester?

<FAQ-a-sect>
All items in VC/EIES reside in a very large database.  This database had become
badly damaged during the years in which it was in use due to persistant bugs
in the EIES application.  Now that those bugs have been corrected it was
decided that the database portion of EIES should be started fresh to prevent
problems left behind by earlier troubles from intefering with our current
version.

<FAQ-q NAME=old_database>
Regarding switch to new database for Fall 1998 semester.

<FAQ-a>
The user database was literally restarted from scratch, and old messages
and conferences were not be copied over.  Any login that was used between
Sept 1997 and Sept 1998 was automatically copied over.
<p>
The switch over was necessary because the
previous EIES VC database was in very bad shape and could be trusted to run 
another semester. The database files were too large (5.7GB) and
too badly damaged to allow a logical rebuild. 
<p>
The old database was taken off-line in April 1999 as had been announced in
1998.  

<FAQ-Q-SECT NAME=more_help>
Who can I contact for more help?

<FAQ-Q NAME=contacts>
Contacts

<FAQ-A>
As mentioned earlier, please try to resolve the problem yourself before calling
the NJIT Computing Services Help Desk.   A complete list of telephone and 
e-mail contacts for all our systems is available at
<a href="http://www.njit.edu/CSD/Help/csdhelp.html">http://www.njit.edu/CSD/Help/csdhelp.html</a>.

<FAQ-Q NAME=errata>
Errata contacts

<FAQ-A>
Please email comments regarding this document to 
<a href="mailto:webmaster@eies.njit.edu">webmaster@eies.njit.edu</a>.
We are particularily interested in your suggestions for additions to this
document.


<FAQ-EPILOGUE>
<hr>
Last updated @REPLACE(date '+%d-%b-%Y');
<br><a href="mailto:cccc@www.njit.edu">cccc@www.njit.edu</a>
</BODY>
</HTML>
