Renaming of CSC/ITSU
As previously announced, the Computer Services Centre (CSC) and the Information Technology Service Unit (ITSU) will be merged and renamed as the Information Technology Services Centre (ITSC) effective from July 1 2000.

In spite of the name change, your computer accounts and passwords obtained from CSC will remain unchanged. However, there will be changes to addresses of and details on our web pages, server names, and other documents to reflect the merger.

In order to minimize the impact of the name changes on you, we have set up aliases for all our hostnames, domain names and URLs so that you can still use the old name, i.e. csc.cuhk.edu.hk, to access our severs and web sites. However, we suggest you start using the new name, i.e. itsc.cuhk.edu.hk, from July 1 2000.

Please be assured that our services and commitment to service will remain unchanged after the renaming. Watch the next issue of Digest for more details on the arrangements.

Replacement of the Phone Book System (PH) by CUHK Directory Service
Starting from June 26 2000, the Phone Book System (PH) will be replaced by CUHK Directory Service. The PH has been very popular. However, it is rather outdated and no development and enhancement had made by the developer for years. Moreover, two popular e-mail programs, the Netscape Communicator and the MS Outlook Express do not support PH. As a result of these factors, we have received negative comments about the performance and the limitations of PH.

The new programme, CUHK Directory Service is supported by LDAP (Light-weight Directory Access Protocol). It is also supported by both Netscape Communicator and MS Outlook Express. CUHK Directory Service is accessed through a web interface so there will be no text-based interface for UNIX machines or PH client interface for Eudora.

Data migration from the Phone Book System to CUHK Directory Service will be done by CSC/ITSU. We will not change your personal information during the migration.

CUHK Directory Service will provide functions for you to update your personal data. To change your details, you will need to enter your Campus-wide E-mail (Mailserv) account name and password for authentification. In the next issue, we will introduce you to the functions available in CUHK Directory Service and update you on the progress of its implementation.

New Arrangement for Collecting Systems Printing Outputs
Since there was no major objection received, the printing output bin was dismantled on May 31, 2000 as scheduled. From June 1 2000, printing outputs from systems including 'Logic', 'Theory', 'Orient', 'Origin' and 'Mailserv' should be collected directly from the on-duty operator in the Machine Room (G/F, Pi Chiu Building). Please be reminded that the policy of and guidelines for the Systems Printing Service remains unchanged. Please check them out at http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/csc/about/system-print.html .

Those who paid a deposit for a key to the output bin, please return the key and collect the deposit on or before September 1, 2000 at the Information Counter of the Computer Services Centre (G/F, Pi Ch'iu Building).

For any enquiries, please contact the CSC/ITSU HelpDesk at http://helpdesk.csc.cuhk.edu.hk or e-mail policy-help@cuhk.edu.hk

Maintenance Schedule from July 2000 to December 2000
Most of the centrally-managed computer systems need to be shut down regularly for maintenance work including user file back up, system testing, software/hardware upgrades, hardware preventive maintenance etc. Therefore, we suggest you avoid scheduling important computing activities during the maintenance period.

You can now obtain the maintenance schedule from July 2000 to December 2000 on the web at http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/csc/sys_ava/maint.html and from the CUHK anonymous FTP server, ftp.cuhk.edu.hk, which is placed under cuhk/itsc/maint/itsc-sch0700.doc . In addition, a paper copy has been sent to your department and various college laboratories for posting.

User Area Opening Hours from June to August 2000
From June to August, part of the User Area in the Pi Chiu Building and Wong Foo Yuan Building will be closed for course registration and renovation. Details of the schedule have been posted on-line at http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/csc/announce/summer00.html

Have a happy summer vacation!