Help Centre

3. Help Centre Resources

The Help Centre has a variety of resources including computers running a wide range of software, scanners, printers, video-playback, etc.

The Help Centre Machines

3.1. Computers

The Help Centre currently has 16 PCs running Windows XP, and 4 iMacs running MacOS/X. All the machines can read and write CDs and DVDs. The computers all have accessible USB sockets for the connection of memory sticks etc.

3.1.1. PC Software

All the PCs have access to a range of standard Windows applications including:

  • Microsoft Office
  • Open Office
  • WordPerfect Office
  • Endnote
  • Corel Graphics Suite
  • Adobe Acrobat
  • Adobe InDesign
  • Adobe Illustrator
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Macromedia Dreamweaver
  • Macromedia Flash
  • Matlab
  • Minitab
  • Ghostscript/GSView
  • Hummingbird Exceed (X-Windows)
  • SPSS
  • SSH Secure Shell
  • SPSS Secure File Transfer
  • TEI Emacs
  • Visual Basic
  • Visual C++
  • Visual J++

Some more specialised software is available on specific machines:

  • Omnipage Pro - available on machines with scanners

The machines with scanners are bookable via a diary adjacent to each machine.

3.1.2. Mac Software

All the Macs have access to a range of standard applications including:

  • Microsoft Office 2004
  • NeoOffice 2.0
  • iLife 06
  • iWork 06
  • Adobe Acrobat
  • Adobe Illustrator
  • Adobe InDesign
  • Adobe GoLive
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Endnote X
  • SPSS 13
  • Fugu
  • Audacity

3.2. Video Editing

Two Intel iMacs are reserved for video editing work. These machines have iLife and Final Cut Express HD installed and are connected to a Digital/VHS video recorder. The video-editing machines are bookable via a diary adjacent to each machine. A wider range of video facilities, e.g. Tape-to-CD transfer, is available at the Media Production Unit in Wellington Square.

3.3. Email Terminals

Three short-use (up to 15 minutes) email terminals are available in the Help Centre.

3.4. Connection of Users' Own Machines

Users' own machines can be connected in two ways:

  • Wired network points on the wall behind the brown easy chairs opposite the helpdesk. The wall sockets are marked with a green "*" and for reasons of security have some restrictions on the type of network services they are permitted to access.
  • Wireless connection is possible with the University's OWL wireless network. There are laminated instruction cards available on how to configure Windows XP and Mac OS/X machines to access the wireless network.

3.5. Printers and Photocopiers

Self-service A4 laser-printing is available in both black-and-white (5p per sheet) and colour (25p per sheet). Self-service A4 photocopying is also available at 5p per sheet. Printing and photocopying require the purchase of a Paycard from either the vending machine near the printers, or from the OUCS Shop (which can also supply a receipt if required).

A3 printing (both colour and black and white) and also colour photocopying are available via the operations staff at the Job Reception window.

3.6. Scanners

Three Epson 2400-dpi flatbed scanners with 35mm film and transparency capability are available, two attached to Windows PCs, and one attached to a Mac. The scanning machines are bookable via a diary adjacent to each machine. Brief information on image and text scanning is given on a wall-poster near the scanners. More detailed information can be found in two separate web pages:

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