Getting an account and logging in

How to connect to the machine we're using

We're using hilbert.ms.washington.edu this quarter, an Alpha running Compaq Tru64 Unix, operated by the Math Sciences Computing Center (MSCC).

You'll need to connect to hilbert using ssh (which provides a secure, encrypted, connection, so your password won't go over the network in plain text...) If you're starting from a Linux or Unix shell prompt, you can use the ssh command, which has this form:

ssh xxx@hilbert.ms.washington.edu

(Put the username in place of xxx.) If you haven't connected to hilbert before, it'll ask you if you want to trust hilbert -- say "yes".

If you're using Windows, look for any of these applications: SSH Secure Shell, TeraTerm, or Putty. These may bring up a "connect" dialog box when you start them that asks for the machine name and username -- if not, look for "connect" (or equivalent) in the menus. (If you use TeraTerm, look for an option to use ssh when you connect -- turn that on. If you don't see the option, your copy of TeraTerm doesn't include ssh support -- look for something else to use.) If you're running on a UW machine, some form of ssh will almost certainly be available, because Computing & Communications now requires ssh to connect to dante and their other machines.

If you need a place to work from, there are large farms of machines in OUGL and Mary Gates, and a smaller lab run by MSCC in the basement of Communications (just north of the HUB), room B022.

Getting an account on hilbert

ssh newuser@hilbert.ms.washington.edu

(The password was given out in class -- if you need a reminder, send e-mail to the instructor or TAs.)

This will get to MSCC's new-account form, where you'll pick a username and password. (It also asks for information that it'll use to check whether you're a current student.) Fill that out and submit it (it will log you out afterward). Then wait about 5 minutes -- that's how often the accounts are updated.

Logging in to hilbert

Now log in as yourself by connecting to hilbert with ssh, as you did before, but this time using your new username and password. You'll see something like this:

Last login: Tue Apr  2 15:21:22 PST 2002 from lpc156.ms.washington.edu

Compaq Tru64 UNIX V5.1A (Rev. 1885); Fri Dec 21 11:43:24 EST 2001

No mail.

Erase is Backspace

Kill is Ctrl-U

Interrupt is Ctrl-C

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

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

      **                                                    **

      **          Math Sciences Computing Center            **

      **                                                    **

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

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

Checking quotas ....

Your disk quota limit is 90 Mbytes, of which you are using 0 Mbytes.

hilbert1_1%

Now it's waiting for you to type commands -- that "hilbert1_1%" is what the command interpreter ("shell") types to let you know it's ready.

The most important thing to know about Unix is how to get out ;-). Type "exit" at the shell prompt.

If you haven't used Unix before, you may want to look at some of these Unix resources.

Pat Tressel
5-Apr-2002