GPU in Computer Labs

Marianne Aldridge (marianne.aldridge@ualberta.ca)
CNS Help Desk (492-9400)

As the name says, General-Purpose Unix (GPU) features the Unix operating system, but the GPU implementation of Unix is special in that it let's the user issue commands in two different ways.

The first way is to use the Lynx hypertext menu system that appears when you first log in to your GPU account. Note that in the Lynx environment, your mouse won't work. Instead, use the up, down, left, and right arrow keys to move around in a Lynx hypertext menu, and hit Enter or Return to select an item on any Lynx menu.

The second way to work with GPU is to issue commands from the GPU system prompt (i.e., the Unix command line). To do this, type q to quit Lynx and y to confirm. You'll see the GPU system prompt in the lower left-hand corner of your screen.

For more information about Unix commands that you can issue from the GPU system prompt, see the CNS web page at:

http://www.ualberta.ca/HELP/gpu/gpu-main.html

Logging in to Your Account

The following instructions apply to campus labs running Windows 95.

1. In the lower left-hand corner of the screen, you'll see the Windows 95 Start button. Click on it to bring up the Start Menu.
2. Click on Programs, then click on Netsurf.
3. In the Netsurf menu, click on WinQVT (a terminal emulation program). In the Open Session window that appears, click on General Purpose Unix then click on OK. (Note: If the WinQVT program opens with a blank black screen and there is no Open Session window, click on the yellow Open Folder icon in the menu bar, then choose General Purpose Unix and click OK.)
4. When the QVT/Term window to GPU opens, you will see a "Welcome to gpu.srv.ualberta. ca!" message on a screen with a login: prompt. At the prompt, type in your CNS Computing ID and hit Enter.
5. A prompt for your password appears. Type in the password for your CNS Computing ID and hit Enter. Your GPU account should now open to the main Lynx menu.

Changing Your GPU Password

1. In the main Lynx hypertext menu, select the link "GPU environment." Use your down arrow key to move the highlight to this choice and hit Enter.
2. In the GPU Environment menu, select the item "Change your password."
3. When prompted, enter your current password and hit Enter.
4. When prompted, enter your choice for your new password and hit Enter. (For maximum security, remember to use a mixture of uppercase and lowercase letters, with a number or two thrown in to the mix.)
5. A CNS password checker program will automatically run against your password choice, testing it for "guessability." If the program detects that your password is too easy to guess, you will be asked to type in another one; if it accepts your password, you will be asked to retype the new password to confirm it. Do this and hit Enter. GPU will respond: "Changing password for yourID in cell ualberta.ca. Password changed."
6. The next time you log in to your GPU account, you will need to use your new password.

Checking for E-Mail

1. In the main Lynx menu, you will see the selection "Email." Highlight this selection and hit Enter.
2. In the Email menu, you will see the selection "Pine." Highlight this selection and hit Enter.
3. In the Pine main menu, you will see the selection, "L FOLDER LIST - Select a folder or news group to view." Highlight this option, and choose it by hitting Enter.
4. In the FOLDER LIST that is returned to you, highlight INBOX and hit Enter to select it. You will now see a FOLDER INDEX list of your incoming e-mail messages. Highlight, select and read the e-mail message of your choice.

For more information on using Pine and managing your electronic mail, please see the article "Pine Electronic Mail on GPU -- The Basics" which is available on the web at:

http://tecumseh.srv.ualberta.ca/hyperdispatch/hyperdispatch20/pine.html