63nd CSPC Meeting, 18th June 1996 Agenda ------ 1. Apologies for absence. 2. Minutes of the last meeting. 3. Matters arising from previous meetings: 4. Chairman's actions: 4.1 Apple's loan of a PowerPC 8500 for project use Jim Murphy has negotiated the loan of a Mac PowerPC 8500 for project use until October, together with various software (Macintosh Application Environment (MAE) and a (beta copy) of MK Linux (Linux for Power Macintosh)). See Appendix B. This has been allocated to an undergraduate project student supervised by David Sharp. The work will hopefully be taken up by an MSc student over the summer. 5. Financial position Both software and equipment budgets are fully committed, although the staged deployment of the general access PC lab allows some flexibility. We cannot rely on the 1996-7 equipment budget exceeding 150K (compared with 246K in 1995-6). 6. Server problems/planning systems work over the summer break CSG need to plan major systems activities over the summer. Any new equipment installation would form a part of this. In particular, a strong case has been made for some spending on upgrades to file, email and CPU servers. See Appendix A for further details. Proposal: SM, KMS, PHJK to establish prioritised list of key requirements for circulation to CSPC by email. 7. Equipment for new lecturer Janko Mrsic-Flogel Three new lecturers have recently been appointed (Steffen van Bakel, Janko Mrsic-Flogel, Bashar Nuseibeh). A fourth is due to start imminently. Janko Mrsic-Flogel has requested funds to support his academic work. Proposal: agree funding level for basic provision for new lecturers, and consider loan of funds for further equipment case-by-case. 8. Mac for Video Projector Stuart McRobert requests a software and hardware upgrade for the Mac allocated to the video projector installed in 308 (Powerpoint + larger disk). 9. Air conditioning in level 2 machine rooms and terminal rooms The level 2 air conditioning provision is inadequate; it fails to maintain a comfortable working environment in the student labs and Systems staff accommodation. Equipment in these rooms also suffers. Furthermore, the main machine room is extremely vulnerable since a single failure would force us to shut down many services. See Appendix C. Proposal: agree contingency mechanism for funding emergency action. Follow up with plan to resolve the problem in the longer term. 11. Date of next meeting 12. AOB APPENDIX A: Server problems/planning systems work over the summer break ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Stuart McRobert writes: I'm not sure of your agenda for the coming meeting, but would like to make sure it is noted that we really do need to start deciding in May what CSPC would like to order for this Summer - delivery in June, construction in July/August for handover early in September. The usual snag is next year's funding doesn't start to August and IC is often rather late at telling DoC its budget, sometimes running into mid Sept. Would someone like to raise the topic of a possible forward spend? It would allow us to do a lot of work, although taking a holiday also has a certain appeal. APPENDIX B: Apple's loan of a PowerPC 8500 for project use ---------------------------------------------------------- Jim Murphy writes: As I previously mentioned to you a couple of weeks ago, I have persuaded Apple to 'loan' a PowerPC machine to us on a long term basis, until around October, to improve the image of Apple products in the department and also to support our Multi-media projects over this period. The computer has now arrived, it is a PowerPC based 8500 system and includes a 17" screen and intergrated stereo speakers. In addition, Apple have donated a copy of Macintosh Application Environment (MAE) and a (beta copy) of MK Linux (Linux for Power Macintosh) for our evaluation. They will also offer technical assistance on both the hardware and software (where possible) during this time. I spoke with Dave Sharp and asked him if he could use the evaluation equipment for his student project(s), his reply is given below. I am keen to let Dave and his student have the system asap to see what they can produce, what you you think? Clearly we have to move quickly for the undergraduate project. Dave Sharp writes.... >Dear Jim, > >We are developing software that enables you to sing to a computer, and have >the computer extract the pitch of your singing in real time to produce an >animated display of the note sung. > >This algorithm requires no multiplications and is thus very fast compared >with other more traditional techniques. Indeed it is faster than Claire, >the Mac music tutor product from Opcode. > >The software is of use in systems that teach music, for engineering >applications in which fundamental frequency must be extracted and just for >fun - for example making the computer react to your singing. > >We are interested in porting this software to the Macintosh system being >loaned to the department and in the long term may be interested in its >incorporation into the macintosh system software so that any macintosh >could react to sound pitch information. > In answer to my question about the project, if it would be an undergraduate or postgratute project Dave replied... >The project is ongoing. An undergraduate is attempting something for the >end >of June. A Postgraduate will be continuing with a similar project (on >music >tracking) over the summer. > >Best wishes, > >David Sharp APPENDIX C: Air conditioning in level 2 machine rooms and terminal rooms ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Stuart McRobert writes: On Friday you asked for any thoughts we/I might have re the sad state of the air conditioning. I suspect we *really* do have to declare an emergency, I have in mind that we often have senior industrial visitors to see student projects in a few weeks time and the place obviously has to smell and be nice. We could pray for rain, but it didn't help Yorkshire water much. Suggest checking when they are due to attend, if they are coming, we really need to get a move on. Recognising that the existing air ducting works, we should turn our attention to level 3 - the central round house area springs to mind. If temporary a/c units were installed there, blowing cold air into the existing air distribution system (perhaps via recently installed inspection/cleaning cut outs), and loosing any heat generated/extracted vertically as rising hot air simply up to the sky, relief could quickly be obtained, and it would be out of sight and should cause very little disruption to users and visitors. May not be highly efficient in terms of running costs, but if it is cool, fine. Meanwhile the real problem needs to be addressed, its been put off and put off. At present, I understand that heat is attempted to be lost by simply blowing outside air over a cooling radiator. However, if that air is itself hot (as happens on a Summers day) and you need to get to a lower temperature, simply out of luck. In the past water was past over the cooling fins, resulting in evaporation and so significant extraction of heat energy, and hence a marked temperature drop. One thought would be to install a water bath, with the hot pipes at the bottom, transfering their heat by conduction to the cool water. The heated water would rise and overflow to a drain, fresh cool water would come in at the bottom. Adjust the rate to keep the tank cool enough, and you have your heat transfer system - expensive on water, and water is heavy, beware of roof loading limits, so needs some thought. Another solution is to look for a hotter system! Redesign the heat exchange to run at a temperature higher than the hot air being blown over it to cool it, that way you have a temperature difference and can loose heat, simple, but is a redesign. The other obvious solution is to get a modern day "safe" wet system installed. No details. The other key thing to note is out of the 4 new units looking after the computer room itself, only one is generating really cold air, the other three just seem to be circulating air. We have a call logged about this, but if that last unit fails, the word toast comes to mind, wipe out. Significant hot air is also entering the computer room from the fresh air supply (one needs oxygen), which is supposed to be the same cool air for the teaching labs. Oh well. All in all the situation doesn't look very good, suggested action is 1. They fix all the computer room units so they keep the core kit cool 2. Emergency cooling units should be requested to handle the labs, feasibility of installing them on level 3 in the round house area and use the existing ducting to deliver cold air should be undertaken asap. This should provide quick relief, and reduce heat fatigue for both students and equipment, and buy time for... 3. The old a/c system heat exchange problem needs to be addressed. It can't be put off again. Estates needs to finally solve this.