DCU Computing labs

CollegeSpew

There are currently no labs available to undergrads in the school of computing - one is closed for external testing and the others are booked for class lab exams.

This is completely ridiculous and recommend that all students send an email to their class reps if this affects them(I have already!)

JoePie

You act like this is the first year that this has happened. Get a laptop/go home/use Henry Grattan, library, business school computers. There are other options.

CollegeSpew

My laptop doesn't have linux;

the henry grattan/library/etc doesn't have programming tools, nor linux;

For some people there aren't other options.

Tree

i'd recommend installing linux on your laptop.
as a non computers student i have no access to linux labs at all, so i've it on my laptop, besides it'll allow you to do work at home.

JoePie

JoePie wrote: »

You act like this is the first year that this has happened. Get a laptop/go home/use Henry Grattan, library, business school computers. There are other options.

Remember that 'software engineering' thing where people had to do real work outside the realm of Java and SQL databases with web-based frontends? :pac:

Pygmalion

CollegeSpew wrote: »

My laptop doesn't have linux;

If only there was some way to acquire this "Linux" you speak of for free, with nothing but an internet connection and a USB key/blank CD.
Then people could start using it on their laptops.

niamh90

Yes, it's a good idea to have Linux on your laptop.

However, this does not mean that it is acceptable for the School of Computing not to have a computer lab available to undergraduates.

Surely the minimum facilities which should be available to students include a computer lab with appropriate software and operating systems.

It is disgraceful that DCU treats students in this way.

Just because this is not "the first year that this has happened" does not make it acceptable. I agree with OP, you should get in touch with your class reps and complain. You should be able to expect better treatment than this from DCU.

JoePie

Deleted User wrote: »

Remember that 'software engineering' thing where people had to do real work outside the realm of Java and SQL databases with web-based frontends? :pac:

SE lads always had their own gear because they were serious about it. You should know that. The lab machines only cater to a certain point, and you know that. Stop getting all smartarse for no reason.

niamh90, class reps have moaned about it for years, but when businesses come in and pay money for the floorspace, it's hard to say no. There were a million labs when I started in '05 and only half that number by the time I finished in August. I can only think of one time in my DCU time when there was a space problem. January exams two years ago I think it was. The transition years were in, and that's one of the times of the year when every student shows up to college, and 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th years were squashed into L125.

Head over to Cillian Byrne and see if he can do anything about it if it bothers you that much, OP. A few emails are going to do nothing.

johnmcdnl

JoePie wrote: »

You act like this is the first year that this has happened. Get a laptop/go home/use Henry Grattan, library, business school computers. There are other options.

this isn't the first year it's happened :eek: which somehow makes it more acceptable

I wouldn't be so concerned if it was a once of thing but to happen on a regular basis is unacceptable - I was under the impression that my 1500 registration fees were paid for something... surely as a computing student I should have access to the labs when I need them - perhaps my laptop is broken today - what do I do then - have a second laptop as a backup in case my other one breaks:rolleyes: and then secondly - maybe I can't afford a laptop because of the economic downturn and I'm relying on the labs to get my work done...

I don't care how busy it is there should always be at least 1 lab there for students - it's not like we don't have projects to do or anything now is it

Attol

We need a totally silent lab where talking is not allowed. The labs are closer to being common rooms than places to work.

I was a class rep last year and tried to get at least one lab designated as a silent place to work but that didn't happen. I was told to tell people to shut up if they were loud. I tried that during exam time. A group of first years were loudly watching Youtube and laughing their heads off. After about twenty minutes of this I politely went up to them, explained I had a lot of work to do and was finding it impossible to concentrate. So what does that achieve? They continue watching their videos with the added bonus of slagging me off too! The other labs were equally loud.

I really think we should try policing one lab ourselves. Put up signs saying "Quiet Lab - No Talking!". I put up a sign a couple of times and it worked. If we all agreed to do it together it'd be a success. That way people know before they go in that the lab is not to be used for socialising and they can go to another lab if they wish to mess. I think the labs are an absolute nightmare.

L125 was fine when everyone was working and quietly discussing assignments/projects/exams with one another, because in reality you have to do that if you want to do well in CA. But some people (i.e. this year's final years, last year's final years who sat near the main door and the ones the year before who sat beside the L128 wall) make it impossible to work in. Myself and a couple of people ended up having to spend all of our time in the library because our lab was packed full of mentally deficient spastics.

niamh90

How did the focus of this thread change from the lack of lab facilities in DCU to the behaviour of the students using labs?

No wonder DCU get away with this, instead of showing a united front in looking for better treatment, we spend our time slagging each other off.

Attol

niamh90 wrote: »

How did the focus of this thread change from the lack of lab facilities in DCU to the behaviour of the students using labs?

No wonder DCU get away with this, instead of showing a united front in looking for better treatment, we spend our time slagging each other off.

Because imo it'll be impossible to have anyone take our requests seriously when half the labs are taken up by people who are very obviously messing. The labs are meant to be used for assignments and for study. If the current resources aren't being used properly then how can we possibly expect to get anyone to listen to us when we plead our case?

Gman1

Deleted User wrote: »

L125 was fine when everyone was working and quietly discussing assignments/projects/exams with one another, because in reality you have to do that if you want to do well in CA. But some people (i.e. this year's final years, last year's final years who sat near the main door and the ones the year before who sat beside the L128 wall) make it impossible to work in. Myself and a couple of people ended up having to spend all of our time in the library because our lab was packed full of mentally deficient spastics.

Its not just the final years that are loud. The third years are just as bad, they come into the lab in droves. Especially that loud girl in the corner. We all know who were talking about.

irish_boy90

Gman1 wrote: »

Its not just the final years that are loud. The third years are just as bad, they come into the lab in droves. Especially that loud girl in the corner. We all know who were talking about.

She is a second year by the way. Not even sure if she is in Ca or Ec tbh.

Can't say I am as annoyed this year with lab noise as I was in L101 last year.
Seem to be working more now in the evenings in the labs when most have gone home so the labs aren't as bad.


There are a few people who shout all the time though. We should try throwing a few of them out the windows until they quieten down.

Gman1

irish_boy90 wrote: »

She is a second year by the way. Not even sure if she is in Ca or Ec tbh.

Can't say I am as annoyed this year with lab noise as I was in L101 last year.
Seem to be working more now in the evenings in the labs when most have gone home so the labs aren't as bad.


There are a few people who shout all the time though. We should try throwing a few of them out the windows until they quieten down.

Second year really? she shouldnt even be in those labs then.

Creadak

Gman1 wrote: »

Second year really? she shouldnt even be in those labs then.

Tbh, I don't care if non 3rd/4th years are in those labs, as long as they're being reasonably quiet/working/etc...

Back to the topic at hand... It was ridiculous to hold the Cambridge ESOL exams/2 other lab exams at the same time as the open days leaving no lab available for students... My laptop is currently without regular access to a charger so I depend on there being a lab free for me to work at while I'm in college...

Anyway... I'm firing off an email to my class rep about it... Though I don't see what it will achieve...-

isoSaf

I think in the case of things like open days we just have to get over it, it's not like they happen frequently.

Regular scheduling of all labs being unavailable is a different story. On Tuesday afternoons all four labs (available to us, the second years) are occupied. Are there other days like this for other years?

isoSaf

isoSaf wrote: »

Are there other days like this for other years?

I found second year to be the worst year for labs, because every other year had their own labs set aside for them.

Those ComputeTY **** ruin everything as well.

Attol

WARNING : Any further cases of personal abuse/bullying will be met with a ban

Clondalphian

i love scary mary

player89

stop talking about my future wife !!!!!!

xxmeabhxx

This is slightly off topic but does anyone know the official opening hours for the computing labs? In paticlar this Saturday and Sunday, I would appreciate it.

TheChrisD

Official opening: Whenever Security get off their fat ass and unlock stuff
Official closing: Whenever Security get off their fat ass and lock stuff

Or at least those seem to be the times from my experiences...

xxmeabhxx

lol I've never stayed late in the evening, only until about five or six so I don't know the times, are they open this Sunday does anyone know?

xxmeabhxx

Nothing stopping me from using them, I'm just wondering are the labs in the computing building open at the weekends? I'm never in DCU at the weekend cos I don't live in campus and I have java on my laptop but my dad's invited half the family over this weekend to our house and I won't be able to get anything done if I stay at home so I'm going into DCU to study but I want to make sure they're not closed

Attol

Mr.S wrote: »

As for the noise in labs, they are labs, they aren't meant for 100% quiet study. Go to the library or home if you want that.

According to the sign on the door L125 is the 3rd/4th year quiet project room.

The labs are closer to a cafe/common room in their current state.

andrew163

While I'm sure that cartoon isn't intended to be a historical document describing the exact happenings in the labs - are MSSF still taking over L125 at times? :eek: Even as someone in MSSF last year, I hated when this happened. Could never understand why L128 wouldn't do.

Dinner

andrew163 wrote: »

While I'm sure that cartoon isn't intended to be a historical document describing the exact happenings in the labs - are MSSF still taking over L125 at times? :eek: Even as someone in MSSF last year, I hated when this happened. Could never understand why L128 wouldn't do.

Nope. As far as I've seen we're all in L128.