HISTORY V410
Section 001
Dr. Powers
Fall, 2005
COURSE MATERIALS AVAILABLE
THROUGH COMPUTERS
Aside from the textbooks, most of
the essential course material usually provided in workbooks and handouts is
provided through computers. If you don't know how to use a computer, you'll
need to learn the basics right away. This guide is intended to inform you just
what materials are out there, and then to provide basic information on how to
get them. If you've already been here at least one semester, you shouldn't even
need the second part. If you need more than this guide, see me.
I.
THE H:\TPOWERS\HIST410 DIRECTORY ON
THE LAB SERVER
Each networked computer in the USC
Sumter main computer lab is connected to a directory on a server (in addition
to those on the individual computer's hard drive and on any external sources
such as floppy disks and CD's). That directory is designated as the "H
drive." On that directory is a
subdirectory named TPOWERS. Under that subdirectory is another subdirectory
named HIST410. Using "My Computer" or Microsoft WORD, or any other
word processor or file management system you prefer, go to H:\TPOWERS\HIST410
and you should find the following subdirectories:
ADMIN subdirectory, containing documents of an
administrative nature.
GUIDES subdirectory, containing materials which are
intended to help you do your assignments more effectively
HANDOUTS subdirectory, containing course materials
which supplement textbooks, lectures, etc..
H410FILE ("List of Computer Files") is a
computer file which lists each file on the server, the subdirectory in which it
appears, a brief description, and the point in the course when you need to read
it. It's in the ADMIN subdirectory.
The standard word processor on the computers in the
USC Sumter main computer lab is Microsoft WORD. Sometimes, in Word, it's
difficult to get to the H:\ drive, because it doesn't appear to come up when
you do a "File, Open." What probably WILL appear is a line saying
"Labs on 'USC Sumter\home\stu' [H:]" The screen may cut off the last
part of the line, not permitting the reference to the H:\ drive to appear. If
you can't find a way to the H:\ drive, look for that line.
I have converted some of the HIST 410 files to WORD
format, but there are others which remain in the format in which they were
originally written, usually WordPerfect 5.1 or WordPerfect 6.*. The WordPerfect
6.* files carry a .WPD extender. The WordPerfect 5.1 files carry a non-standard
extender rather than one which identifies them as WordPerfect files. (For example,
most handouts contain the extender .HO rather than a program-specific one like
.DOC or .WP5.) For this reason, WORD and other Windows-based word processors
may not display these files when you do a "File, Open" command. When
you go looking for any HIST 410 files, please be sure that your word processor
is set to show ALL files, and not just WORD files or those of your own word
processor.
Similarly, most file managers, such as "My
Computer" or "Windows Explorer," should show all files, but
often they will not allow you to open them directly just by clicking on them if
they are not in some recognized standard format. Thus, if you clicked on a WORD
file, like <h:\tpowers\hist410\admin\schedule.doc>, the file manager
would automatically open WORD, then load the document. But such file managers
often are not set up to open automatically files which have non-standard
extenders, such as <h:\tpowers\hist410\handouts\reconstr.ho>. Clicking or
double-clicking on that file will do nothing. You'll have to go to a word
processor if you want to retrieve that file, or use the file manager to copy it
to your own disk for later retrieval through a word processor.
Since these files are in several formats, please be
sure that the word processor you're using can handle them. WORD, the program on
the lab computers, can translate any of them, but WORD sometimes has a problem
translating certain characters, lining up columns, and handling certain codes.
This should not make any files unreadable, but you may find that fonts, formats,
margins, symbols, etc. do not always convert properly. If this results in your
being unable to use a file, please see any of the people in the Computer
Services Division. If you download these files to a disk and take them to use
on another computer, please be sure that the other word processor can read the
files. Almost any modern program can convert WordPerfect 5.1 files. Most
Windows-based programs should be able to handle WordPerfect 6.* files. WORD can
convert files to a number of formats. Just set the "Save As Type" box
on the "File, Save As…" screen to the program you need. See me if you
have any question about what any of this means.
Remember that if you're going to use the computers
in the Main Lab, you'll need to bring a 3.5" floppy disk with you and
insert it in the computer.
If you have any problems getting to any files, or if
you still need a quick lesson on how to turn on the computer, load a word
processor, and read, copy, or print files, just let me know.
II.
THE WEB PAGE
I've got a World Wide Web page for
my courses. Most of the material noted above, as well as some additional
material, is there. The URL is:
http://www.uscsumter.edu/~tpowers/
Once you're there, just follow the links
to "Courses for Fall, 2005 and from there to History 410.
Don't ignore the other materials of
a general nature on the entry page. The readings aren't long, but you might
find some of them very useful.
Be aware that the process of
converting text documents to a format usable by web pages sometimes affects the
structure of the document. Those on the web page may not look like those on the
server. You'll still be able to read everything, but the format may be
different. The best formats are in the documents on the server, but that
probably won't make any real difference.
What's on the web page is what's on
the server. Use the "List of Computer Files" document as an index.
III.
E-MAIL
I will be making up a mailing list
with all your e-mail addresses on it, and will be sending you additional
information from time to time by e-mail. Be sure you check your account
regularly. BE SURE I GET YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS.
USC provides all registered students
with web-based e-mail accounts. If you don't already have an account of your
own, all you need to do is to activate your USC account. Here's how you do
that:
1. If you don't know your PIN,
go by the Office of Records and Registration in the
2. Get on the internet and go
to USC's VIP page (http://vip.sc.edu).
Enter your USC I.D. number (usually your Social Security number without the
dashes) and your PIN as required. (If you used your initial PIN to get in here,
the first thing the system should do will be to make you change your PIN.)
Click on the "Technology" tab. From there, you should be able to
retrieve your user identification number (userid) and password. If you already
know your userid and password, skip to the next step.
3.
Go to http://webmail.sc.edu.
Enter your userid and password and follow the instructions for activating your
account. Take a few minutes to become accustomed to the way the system works,
so you'll know how to read or send mail.
If for some reason you prefer not to use your USC
account, there are several companies which provide free e-mail: Yahoo, Hotmail,
and many others. If you use an account like this, please try to get one which
allows you to receive attachments.
Of course, if you already have an
e-mail account, just use that one. The important thing is that you have one and
check it regularly, and that you give me your e-mail address right away.
My address is tpowers@uscsumter.edu.