History of the ACES Academic Computing Facility (1982 - 1998)
Mission:
- Provide College of ACES students with access to the most up-to-date hardware and software possible in a supportive lab setting.
- Provide faculty with a setting where they can teach a course, demonstrate software for individual classes or place problem sets for students to complete.
- Provide space for special interest training for others within the College of ACES.
|
Timeline:
1982
- The College of Agriculture Microcomputer Facility was established in 199 Bevier Hall, initially composed of ten Apple IIs and five IBM PCs.
1983
- Focus moves to more IBM PCs as 15 additional PCs are added, and Apple IIs are cut to five.
1985
- IBM EXCEL grant fills backroom of 199 Bevier with 2 IBM PC-ATs and 16 PCs, all on a broadband network. The original purpose of this setup was behavioral research in a live auction simulation. After the research was completed, the machines reverted to a more general academic support role.
1986
- Ag Econ 199-E Becomes Ag Econ 161.
1988
- Moved to the old Ornamental Horticulture Building.
- Remodeled to accommodate two IBM computer labs, rm 101 & 103.
- 5 Macintosh SEs are added in room 101 for use in Ag Econ 100.
1989
- Checkin system started.
- Room 103's network is connected to the growing campus network backbone and the internet.
- A Student Computer Fee grant provided some funding for replacement PS/2 computers in Room 103, which was dubbed the "High Tech IBM Lab".
- OS/2-based LAN servers added.
1990
- Another IBM grant, combined with College support, allowed the purchase of additional IBM PS/2 computers, this time completely upgrading the room with PS/2s.
1991
- Additional remodeling provided space for the Mac Lab.
- The College funds purchase of IBM PS/2 computers to replace aging PCs in room 101.
- Room 101 is networked, connecting it and MacLab to internet.
1992
- Birth of the gopher system - a gopher server is started on a 486DX-33.
- OS/2 installed on computers in room 103, provides DOS, Windows, and OS/2 application and networking support.
1993
- Web Server functionality is added to the gopher server in April of 1993.
1994
- Computer upgrade to provide state-of-the-art computers capable of supporting multimedia applications in all three labs.
- OS/2 in use on all PCs.
- Room 101 gets new furniture.
- Computers previously housed in the IBM and Mac labs were used to open a fourth, Auxiliary lab for general student use.
1995
- Ag Econ 161 becomes ACE 161 in College reorganization.
1996
- Facility receives CFAC funding for software updates.
1997
- Upgrade all computers in room 103 to Pentium Pro computers.
- Windows NT is added as an additional operating environment on the new computers.
- Building network enhanced with switched ethernet to mitigate exploding bandwidth demands.
1998
- Room 101 is also upgraded with new Pentium Pro computers.
- Facility receives CFAC funding for software updates.
- Older machines in room 204 (Overflow lab) are (being) updated to add NT 4.0 capability.
- Room 103 gets new furniture and two scanners.
- New Overhead projector in 101.
- New Air Conditioners in buiding.
- Zip Drives added to rooms 101 and 103.
|
|
