[Wiki] A Guide to CS Infrastructure

Permalink for this page: discuss.cs.uchicago.edu/infrastructure

Communications

We have primarily three ways to communicate with each other in the department:

• phd-students mailing list
  • All of us are already added by Megan / Nita.
  • Mostly used for announcements and information that may interest everyone.
  • Replying to all is generally frowned upon.
  • Consider joining other CS mailing lists that interest you (such as syspeople, security-seminar, etc) here but you are probably already added to the most important ones by your advisor(s) or admin.
  • GWiCS runs its own mailing list which you can join at Gwics Info Page
• CS Slack: cs-uchicago.slack.com
  • Signup:
    • using your @cs.uchicago.edu email ID
    • OR, your @uchiago.edu or some other email ID (though not recommended).
  • Good option for one on one private messaging, real-time group chat, urgent issues and socializing.
  • Recommended channels to join: #phd-general
• CS Discuss: discuss.cs.uchicago.edu
  • You should be able to login using your CNetID.
  • Operated by The Ministry, i.e., us the PhD students, with support from CS TechStaff.
  • Good for long-form all-inclusive discussion among our peers and the larger CS community.
  • There is also a private #phd category that is only visible to us.
  • Also serves our needs for knowledge storage, for example, see #notes tag.
  • For more info, see [Announcement] Introducing CS Discuss for PhD students and topics marked with #doc tag.

Building

• We can schedule most conference rooms and Skype rooms (small rooms by each research office/lab) on our own. Some of the large ones like JCL 390 and 298 need approval by admin staff. Go to: schedule.cs.uchicago.edu
• Floor Maps are here: discuss.cs.uchicago.edu/floormap
• There is enough bike parking space outside the building to park during the day, but in general, it’s not a good idea in Chicago to leave your bike outside overnight. There are bike racks installed on the first floor of the building if you enter from the NW side.
• If you’d like to add something to the display outside of your research office, send an email to av@cs.uchicago.edu. More details here.
• Nita (nitayack) is the point of contact for any issues related to your desks, offices or other space-related needs.
• You can also reach out to the Minister of Infrastructure for raising concerns that affect more than just you.

Obtaining Whiteboard Markers

There are two different kind of whiteboards installed in the building that work well with different kinds of markers. Both kinds of markers should be available at the front desk on each of the 2nd and 3rd floors during normal business hours. If you run out and need them in the weekend or late hours, there is small stock kept in Grad Lounge as well, see next section.

1. Those that look glass-like such as the portable ones available in most of the grad student research offices and in the hallways. Bic markers do not work well with these whiteboards, ask for or buy Expo markers.
2. The regular-kind whiteboards that are installed in the skype rooms. Use either of the two kinds of markers for these.

(I am told that faculty offices have certain different kind of whiteboards that need the Bic markers specifically.)

Grad Lounge (JCL 273)

• A room exclusively for PhD students.
• Has a Foosball table, lots of board games, couches and tables, video games and a TV for socialization.
• Tea time is also organized here by the Ministry of Caffeine.
• Please feel free to propose/organize other activities in the room with other PhD students.

Hardware/Computing

• The whole techstaff team is very friendly. You can always approach them for any issues related to your computing needs.
• They generally prefer an email to techstaff@cs.uchicago.edu so that the problem being reported is documented in their ticketing system and the workload is balanced out, but you can also reach them through CS Discord: UChicago CS or #techstaff-helpdesk on CS Slack
• They maintain a wiki for common issues that you may run into, such as how to connect to printers: howto.cs.uchicago.edu
• Techstaff also administers SLURM, our department’s cloud with access to both CPUs and GPUs.

Poster Printing

See Academic poster printing in Chicago? - #2 by kartik

Internal git server

The department has its own GitLab instance available at https://rev.cs.uchicago.edu/ that can be used by students to host projects internally or privately.

Accessibility & Disability Resources

• If you have a disability and require accommodations you should follow the instructions here as soon as possible Registering with SDS | The University of Chicago Student Disability Services.
• Once you have been approved for accommodations remember that, as a graduate student in the Physical Science Division, the implementation of your accommodations is handled by the Physical Science Division Dean of Students (not Student Disability Services).
• If you have any questions with regards to disability accommodations you may also contact the Minister(s) of Inclusion.

Overleaf

Starting February 2021 the CS department has purchased a licence to the professional version of Overleaf. After connecting your UChicago email and refreshing the page you should have access to all the paid features.

See also [Wiki] Best practices for paper writing (and arXiv submissions)

Misc

• If you need access to CS logos, a research poster template, etc, see Logos, branding, templates, etc. Feel free to add things that you create there for others’ use.

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This is a wiki; feel free to edit and make it better.