esday • July 7,1998
The Battalion
GGIELIFE
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A
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ew computer resources await students
tthe Library Annex’s Student Computing Facility
By Gray Whitten
StaffWriter
hen Aggies start fall classes, they will find new
professors, new schedules and a massive new
computing facility in the center of campus.
iHe Student Computing Facility (SCF) will not be a
rtcjf the Sterling C. Evans Library as some may think,
libart of a "library village" that will include the Evans
)rarv, the new Library Annex and the SCF.
E\Jans and the Annex will be connected by the fourth
or sky walk, and the new addition will feature pri-
irilv electronic resources. Electronic Reserves will oc-
Hthe first floor and the Learning Resources Depart-
mtKLRD) will be on the fourth.
■lie LRD, formerly located on the sixth floor of
IK, will become more focused on the tasks of infor-
itiffln retrieval and multimedia work.
■. Charlene Clark, public relations officer for the
Library, said, "with 18 multimedia PCs and sev-
to line search PCs, there will be no general purpose
lUines, and the lab will become more focused. The
^DKvill change its focus."
'■ie new library Annex itself also will feature ex-
inqed group study areas and extended service hours,
ark said.
Forgeneral purpose computing like that available in
ler on-campus labs, the Student Computing Facility
Ming adjacent to the Library Annex will provide the
Jstand most modern facilities that the University
to offer.
fierce Cantrell, associate provost for information
jchnology said that he is anticipating seeing the com-
leted facility.
think it will be a wonderful facility," Cantrell said.
He said the two-story Student Computing Facility
dll feature 600 Pentium II PCs with 233 or 266 mhz
folessors and several high output printers.
■antrell said Ethernet connections will be available
rsfudents with network-equipped laptop computers
|«e study areas of the facility, and there will be mod-
aldassrooms around the perimeter of the lab.
"I think it's a very nice feature," Cantrell said, "If the
students have an Ethernet connection in their dorm,
they may already be equipped to use this."
All of the dorms will be wired by the end of the sum
mer, so that will become more common.
Cantrell said the new lab will contain approximate
ly the same number of computers as all other on-cam-
pus labs combined.
Some students feel that the new Student Computing
Facility will be a great advantage to the student body.
Stephanie Smith, a CIS student worker at the Block
er lab, said that with the ever-increasing population of
the student body, the new lab only will help lessen the
traffic that often bogs down other labs on busy days.
"Given the size of the incoming freshman class, I
thank God that we will have it," Smith said.
While some students have, in the past, expressed the
desire for increased library facilities where the focus was
not entirely on newer, faster computers, most students
today seem to like the idea of the new.facility and the
convenience it will bring.
CIS student worker Sarah Schroeder feels that the
new lab will be an advantage to many classes.
"It will provide a study area near computers, and no
other facility really does that. The West Campus Library
is the closest thing," Schroeder said. "It is moving in the
direction that classes are moving.
"The new facility will provide a totally new environ
ment," Schroeder said. "It will allow for more group
projects to be done with access to computers."
Schroeder said she will miss seeing the same
group of users on a regular basis if the Student Com
puting Facility has a large impact on the clientele of
the Blocker lab.
Other students simply like the new addition to cam
pus. "I like the guard tower thing," chemical engineer
ing senior Stephen Keen said.
Computing facilities are one of the most sought-after
resources among new students at A&M today, and the
new lab and library facilities only can help to make a bet
ter impression on the classes of the future as they visit
and attend the University for the first time.
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Blocker computer lab patrons Cami Young, a junior community health
major, and Angie Georgelas, a senior landscape design major, plan their
weekend travel arrangements with the help of the Internet on Monday.
I c
Pixel Picks
l-> y G r a y W h i 11 c n
V'
O '
Road
Rash 3-D
Sony Playstation
With greatly increased freedom
of movement and great looking
graphics, this sequel is everything
one would expect from this family
of motorcycle racing/fighting
game hybrids.
While dodging trees and sign
posts and fending off opponents
with a bat or boot may not be the
safest practice, it is great fun, espe
cially when it doesn’t hurt to smack
a speeding Mustang and fly over the
handlebars at 90 mph. (A)
Blasto
Sony Playstation
With the exception of Small Sol
diers, which will appear in theaters
next month, this third-person,
comedic action game may be the
last representation of the late Phil
Hartman. Hartman does not disap
point, delivering the voice of Captain
Blasto as only he can.
While the graphics are unique
and fun to watch, the gameplay itself
is nothing new.
There are some funny jokes scat
tered throughout, and the opening
scenes of aliens planning domina
tion are worth watching a couple of
times, but players hoping for an heir
to the Tomb Raider throne in this
genre should look elsewhere. (B-)
Need For Speed III: Hot Pursuit
Sony Playstation
Gran Tourismo is — for the time
being — the greatest racing game
for the Sony Playstation.
Need For Speed III is not Gran
Tourismo, but it is a fun racing game
with several unique game variations.
The “hot pursuit” mode, when
played on the Bedrock Ridge track,
is the equivalent of Cannonball Run
2: The Home Game.
Tracks have nice scenery and of
fer chances for surprises like taking
a side road and jumping over the
competition from a cliff for Burt
Reynolds wannabes.
Two-player mode sacrifices graph
ics quality. Check it out if you want
less-than-realistic fun. (B)
Gaming Night
at Hullabaloo
Come join us for an evening of FREE bowling, FREE pool, and
FREE refreshments at Hullabaloo in the Memorial Student Center!!
July 9 from 6 PM - 9 PM. ~
a
Sponsored by MSC ^fr Food Services
TAVS, Inc., MSC NOVA, and University Center Complex
Persons with disabilities please call us at (409) 845-1515 so that we may best assist you
at the event.
Don't miss the
Applications Due Soon!
Pm 1 Educators
First American Bank, SSB
Applications and information available
211A YMCA or 222 Beutel.
Deadline Friday, July 10 at 5 pm.
For more information call Becki Elkins at 845-1107.
http://stulife.tamu.edu/adep/p1edu.htm