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Sociology Computing
Welcome to Sociology's Computing Site. Our department has some of the finest computing resources available to the discipline. The Sociology Research Lab (SRL) houses 15 state-of-the-art computing workstations, equipped with a diverse array of specialty software applications, digital scanning, b/w and color laser printing, and a host of technical reference materials. With three full-time professional IT specialists and a team of student computer support staff on site, statistical and computer consultation is readily available.
A second computing lab, with the same high-end computers and printing/scanning resources, is accessible to graduate students and faculty twenty four hours a day, 7 days a week.
The Sociology Instructional Laboratory (SIL) is a high-tech classroom with PC workstations, high-volume laser printers, digital projection with a SmartBoard (TM) tablet system and network storage space for students. This facility allows us to teach computer-based statistical analysis courses where hand-on computing experience is integrated with traditional lecture-based instruction for both undergraduate and graduate students. The instructional laboratory is available for students to work on assignments during non-classroom hours, and for computing-intensive office hours.
Our network infrastructure hosts our departmental web site, central email server with webmail and in-department listserv, and remote file access. We also offer short and long-term loan of computing hardware including laptops, data projectors for classroom use, digital voice recorders, and transcription equipment.
Please refer to the links to the right for more information about our resources.
If you don't see what you are looking for on these pages, please do not hesitate to contact us for more information.
SRL Bulletins
Adobe Reader vulnerabilities and new version
Adobe has announced vulnerabilities in Adobe Reader, addressed in a new version. SRL staff will update PCs on the network, with the update applying when PCs reboot. For off-campus PCs, the new version is available here. The SRL does not recommend the optional 'Free McAfee Security Scan' that is checked by default on the download page. You do not need to uninstall earlier versions of Adobe Reader before installing the updated version.
OSU voicemail users may need to re-record greeting message
http://8help.osu.edu/view_ticket.php?id=1494
HLM updated to 6.0.8
SRL staff updated HLM 6 to version 6.0.8, in response to bugs reported by SSI. See http://ssicentral.com/hlm/upgrade6.html.
HLM updated to 6.0.7
SRL staff updated HLM 6 to version 6.0.7. Among other fixes, HLM will now read SPSS files through version 17. http://ssicentral.com/hlm/upgrade6.html has more details and a patch to download for upgrading at home.
Network maintenance August 27
Hello,
This is notification of work planned for NEXT Thursday, August 27th starting at 8P.
Next Thursday evening the SRL will upgrade network and server hardware as well as perform updates to various systems. This will require an extended rolling outage through the evening as various parts of the department's data network moves offline and then later returns to service. We presently expect to have full service restored by 2AM, however we're still working out details about the scope of the work and will follow up with additional information next week, closer to the actual date.
We encourage everyone to complete work ahead of the maintenance period and logoff...
New, improved loaner laptops
SRL staff have purchased new laptops for our short-term loaner pool, to replacing the aging ThinkPads we've been loaning. The new laptops are Dell Latitude E4300 13" small-format laptops. These have improved performance, a small size and weight, but still have a built-in optical (CD/DVD-RW) drive.
Stata 10, Stata 11, Firefox updated
SRL staff have updated Stata 10, Stata 11 and Firefox, such that Stata 10 and 11 now have all current updates installed and Firefox is updated to version 3.5.2.
You can get updates to Stata on your off-campus PC using the -update query- command while online, or by downloading from http://www.stata.com/support/updates/. Firefox can be updated on your off-campus PC via Help > Check for Updates.
Beware of fake antivirus products
Beware of fake antimalware products, including but not limited to:
- Micro Antivirus 2009
- MS Antivirus
- Spyware Preventer
- Vista Antivirus 2008
- Advanced Antivirus
- System Antivirus 2008
- Ultimate Antivirus 2008
- Windows Antivirus
- XPert Antivirus
- Power Antivirus
- Ultra Antivirus 2009
These are not only not designed to protect your system, they are also malware designed to steal information, inject advertising or do other nasty things.
cf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogue_software for a more comprehensive, if not exhaustive, listing.
Stata and Firefox updated
SRL staff updated Stata ado files and the network version of Mozilla Firefox on 4/24. You can get updates to Stata on your off-campus PC using the -update query- command while online, or by downloading from http://www.stata.com/support/updates/. Firefox can be updated on your off-campus PC via Help > Check for Updates.
Staying Safe on Social Networking Sites
Helpful tips from the US Computer Emergency Readiness Team:
Staying Safe on Social Networking Sites
See also:
Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks
Conficker detection and removal
'Conficker,' also known by a variety of other names, is malware that has spread widely across the Internet. It exploits vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows operating systems
You can apply a simple test for the presence of a Conficker/Downadup infection on your computer. The presence of a Conficker/Downadup infection may be detected if you are unable to connect to, for example, these websites:
- Symantec's page on Conficker
- Microsoft's Conficker ...
Adobe announces vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat and Reader
Adobe has posted a bulletin, http://www.adobe.com/support/security/advisories/apsa09-01.html, about a critical vulnerability in Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat, with no patch expected until March 11, 2009. Mild consequences include causing the PDF viewer to crash, but an attacker may be able to execute other code to perform a variety of (heretofore unknown) functions.
In the meantime, please use caution when opening untrusted PDF files and make sure your antivirus software is up to date (feel free to ask the SRL for consultation on how to know whether your antivirus package and virus signatures are current). Further protection involves preventing Adobe Reader from automatically o...
Microsoft Office Converters for reading Office 2007 files
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=941b3470-3ae9-4aee-8f43-c6bb74cd1466&displaylang=en
These converters, for Microsoft Office XP and 2003, will allow reading of Excel, PowerPoint and Word 2007.
Stata Update Available
The SRL has updated Stata on the network. See http://stata.com/support/updates/ for details on updating your standalone copy.
SPSS 17.0.1 Patch Released
SPSS has produced a patch for SPSS Statistics 17, available for download at http://osusls.osu.edu/upgrades/spsspatch.html.
A list of issues resolved by the patch is at http://support.spss.com/productsext/spss/patches/SPSS%20Server/17.0.1/17.0.1_Description.html.
SPSS 17 Upgrade
Starting at 5pm today (December 31), SRL staff are deploying SPSS 17 to on-campus desktops.
The installation will take place the next time a computer reboots. Because the upgrade requires uninstalling old versions and installing the new, startup times for PCs will be significantly longer during the upgrade. While the uninstallations and installations are running, you will see the message "Running Startup Scripts." The SIL now has SPSS 17 installed, with no reboot required.
Changes with SPSS 17:
http://www.spss.com/statistics/changes.htm outlines new features in SPSS 17. Note that, unlike the past few versions, SPSS 17 is backwards-compatible to SPSS 16. This s...
Stata 10 Updated
SRL staff updated Stata Monday, June 30.You can obtain updates for your personal Stata installation of Stata with the -update query- command. You can also update Stata for a computer without a network connection by downloading files relevant to your version at
http://www.stata.com/support/updates/.
Stata 10 updated
SRL staff updated Stata Thursday, June 5.You can obtain updates for your personal Stata installation of Stata with the -update query- command. You can also update Stata for a computer without a network connection by downloading files relevant to your version at
http://www.stata.com/support/updates/.
Quick Reference Guides for Common Applications
You can access quick reference guides for applications such as Microsoft Office products at the following link:
http://sociology.osu.edu/internal/srl/quickreference.php
Your department username and password are required to access this page.
File-save issue in SPSS 16
Subject: SPSS Proactive Notification - Potential Issue with automated file save in SPSS 16.0.x
SPSS Technical Support has recently detected a problem in SPSS 16.0.x whereby modifications are made to an existing data file and the file appears to save, yet the file is missing from the system. This problem can occur if you exit the application without explicitly saving your file first. This problem has been observed when working with larger size data files or saving to a slower device (such as over the network) such that the saving process takes longer than 3 seconds. It is strongly advised that you do not save your files in this manner until the issue is addressed which is slated ...
Stata 10 update March 15
SRL staff will update Stata this Saturday, March 15. The update will take place at Noon, and Stata will be unavailable for about ten minutes. You can obtain updates for your personal Stata installation of Stata with the -update query- command. You can also update Stata for a computer without a network connection by downloading files relevant to your version at
http://www.stata.com/support/updates/.
Amos and SPSS upgrades during Spring Break
On-campus department, SIL, CJRC and IPR PCs will receive Amos and SPSS upgrades, both to version 16. This software is available for use on your laptop or home PC via http://osusls.osu.edu/. See http://www.spss.com/amos16/whats_new.htm and http://www.spss.com/spss/whats_new_base.htm for more information on new features in version 16 of each program.
HLM 6.0.6 update Saturday, 3/15
SRL staff will update HLM this Saturday, March 15, to version 6.0.6. Home users of HLM can update from http://ssicentral.com/hlm/downloads.html.
Newest SPost added for Stata
SRL staff have installed the most recent SPost to Stata 10's SITE directory, so that it is available to all users on the network.
To read more about SPost or to download it for your PC, visit http://www.indiana.edu/~jslsoc/spost.htm.
Adobe Flash Player installed on on-campus PCs
The newest update to Adobe Flash Player has been released for installation for on-campus PCs. The update will apply upon reboot. This release helps preserve compatibility with modern Flash content addresses a number of security issues. To obtain the update for your off-campus computer, visit http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/.
Adobe Reader installed on on-campus PCs
SRL Staff released Adobe Reader 8.1.2 for installation on on-campus desktop computers this weekend. The update will apply upon reboot.
This update offers better compatibility with current PDFs and addresses a number of security issues.
Adobe Acrobat 6, for creating and editing PDF documents, remains installed but is no longer the default program in which PDF documents open.
To get the update for your off-campus PC, visit http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.
New document templates
http://sociology.osu.edu/help/computing/ has a new category, 'Document Templates,' containing MS Word and MS Powerpoint templates for letters, faxes and presentations. Feel free to download and use for relevant department communications!
Stata updated to Nov 30 executable and ado
Type 'help whatsnew' in Stata to learn more. On off-campus copies of Stata, type 'update query' to find the most recent version available.
ICE imputation module installed for Stata
The ICE module for multiple imputation has been installed on the department's network version of Stata. Details are available, along with download links for home use, at: http://ideas.repec.org/c/boc/bocode/s446602.html.
Amos 6 now available on Lab and office PCs
Amos 6 is now available for use on office and Lab PCs, and for home use by faculty, free of charge. This is made possible by financial contributions by OIT and the Departments of Sociology and Political Science.
Details on the license are available at http://oit.osu.edu/site_license/announce/amos6w.html
