This page addresses the Unix/linux computing systems belonging to the AMO Theory group.  You will not find any substantial amount of information for Windows machines here, but you might check PCSC's page.

The AMO Theory Group (including the groups of Drs. Esry, Lin, and Thumm) has built up a considerable amount of computing power.  The machines that are primarily for number crunching are physically located in a room in the basement and are accessible only via the network .

A brief outline of important information is given below along with links to more details about each topic.  If you can't find enough information here, you should try the following to get help (in order!):

1. Try the man or info pages on the computer.
2. Ask a fellow student or postdoc in the group.
3. Hardware and operating system (OS) problems should be taken to PCSC.
4. Otherwise, email me (esry@phys.ksu.edu).

• Computer Use Policies:
• Access:
• The computers can only be accessed by secure shell (ssh).
  
  
• Running in the background:
• When running on any machine denoted as a desktop machine, the job should be niced to 19.
• When running on a machine that belongs to another group, the job should be niced to 19.
• Any job not niced to 19 will be niced to 19 without warning. (Why?)
  
  
• Disk space (/tmp and /scratch):
  
• When running a job that writes a lot (~100 kB) to disk, the /tmp directory on each machine should be used.
• Any such job not using the /tmp directory is subject to termination without warning. (Why?)
• Scratch disks (/scratch) are now available for C.D. Lin's group and for B.D. Esry's group, each group is to use the disks for their own group.
  
  
• Large memory machines:
• When running a job that requires less than 750 MB of memory, use the small memory machines (less than 2 GB of memory) first.  See the hardware table for a list of such machines.
• Any job using 750 MB of memory or less running on a large memory machine (2 GB or more of memory) when a small memory machine is empty is subject to being niced without warning in favor of a job that needs more than 750 MB. (Why?)
  
  
• Passwords:
• Passwords for the linux and Windows machines are now shared.  So, you can change your Physics Department password from either system. (How?)

• Hardware:
• Table of each groups' computers (including names, memory size, OS and CPU type/speed)
• Uniprocessor speed ranking of all machines
• Table of our groups' printers (including names, locations, and capabilities)

• Software:
• Compiling Fortran and troubleshooting compiling problems: Intel (out of date, will be updated in time)
• Plotting:
• The following are available: xmgr, gnuplot, Mathematica
• xmgr tends to be the most convenient for 2D plots

• Documentation:
• Fortran compiler and language: Intel
• C/C++:  Intel
• LAPACK/BLAS:  General, Intel, Intel Itanium

• Useful links:
• Numerical Recipes in Fortran (do not use this link to print out the book)
• netlib

Please email me if you have trouble with this page (esry@phys.ksu.edu).