Summary of first meeting

We discuss lots of things, and, frankly, I'm not sure I can remember all of them (although I took notes) or remember them correctly. I take the first stab at writing down a summary.  Please feel free to edit!

File storage on the Internet
There are three companies providing storage:

1. Google Drive 15GB
2. Dropbox 2.5 GB (can be increased by inviting people)
3. Box.net 15 GB

Both Dropbox and Google Drive, if you install their sync application, can be used not only through the browser, but will also appear as a folder (directory) in the local filesystem, on the laptop. So we can treat it as part of the laptop. We can work on the laptop, do LaTeX, whatever, and current copies of the files will be created both on your laptop and in Dropbox and Google Drive (as long as sync program is running - they start automatically, unless you decide to change it). The advantage of Dropbox is that it is installed on the department's Linux system (Google Drive has sync app for all major OS except Linux, where one has to use a 3rd party sync program, for example Insync, with the risk that one day it will get disconnected by Google).  The advantage of  Google Drive is the size. Box.net used to be ahead of competition in terms of free space.

Portable apps   portableapps.com
Provides packaged Windows software suitable for use on portable media, without leaving settings files on the host computer. This is useful, for example, if the only machine in your disposal is a PC in an internet cafe and you need to TeX. Is highly valuable for giving the list of most reliable and nimble open source programs for all needs.

Thinlinc thinlinc.com
We all agree that thinlinc is great and we all use it! It enables us to work on our office computer, using a Linux environment, but remotely. Personally, I feel it is the best thing on computers since the good old days (the 80's) when computers were much better than now. There was only one computer and I used to log into that to work. Why would anyone want to bother with personal computers when it comes to doing work, i.e., Mathematics? Personal computers were created for people who play games, watch movies, etc...
These are pros, but there are some cons: if you need to print a file at home and it is on the work computer, it has to be in the Dropbox folder, or else has to be fetched by sftp. Another disadvantage is that a large pool of users means that system administrators prevent the system from crashing too often by a conservative choice of programs and libraries. For example, one could get from a collaborator a file written in LyX 2.0, and not be able to open it because the university version of LyX is 1.6. 

VPN
VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. I don't know what its full capabilities are, all I know is that it helps us access all kinds of libraries normally not accessible from outside the university (which pays for their use). The use of VPN is unreliable, however, and the guys in Uppsala have not made it very clear. There is a web page at Uppsala Univesity here. Once I followed their instructions and it worked fine. Now it does not work!

However, there is an alternative: The PROXY METHOD!
Here is how it works, from Firefox (recent versions, any OS).

Go to Menu
Select Options
Then Network
Then Settings
Select Manual Proxy Configuration
On the HTTP Proxy field write:   www.proxy.se
On the Port field write:  3128
On the No Proxy For field write: localhost, 127.0.0.1

That's all. Then, every time the browser is on, it asks as for ID and PASSWORD.
The ID is the so-called University Computer ID. The one used to access sites like applicants'files.
The PASSWORD is the so-called PASSWORD B.
This information can be stored so we don't have to type it again.
Proxy can be configured also on Internet Explorer and Chrome (Win/Mac/Linux), or on the level of the system (which, however, will send all your private internet traffic via UU). On Android one can set up the proxy in Firefox after installing, via Firefox Extensions menu, the proxy plugin, and in Android 4.x there is also a proxy option for a specified WiFi connection.

AMS Mobile Access
The American Mathematical Society provides access for mobile phones. It works for anything that runs iOS or Android. The permission is issued when your device is connected to AMS from UU. The permission lasts for 90 days and then we have to do it again, from the UU connection.


IT Support at Uppsala
If there are problems we can send email to
admin@math.uu.se
OR
helpdesk@uu.se
From experience, they may ignore emails, even though they reply they are dealing with the problem.
There is a phone number however. It is:
4717890 (weekdays 8:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 16:30).
Problem: They never answer the phone if you don't ring from an internal university phone.


Mail client for Windows: SYLPHEED
The university mail client is horrible, nobody wants to use it. Therefore, we need an alternative.
Sylpheed is a light-weight no-frills program, that might be a better choice than the good-old thunderbird.


Another method is GMAIL.
You can tweek the gmail so you can have a university account associated to it. I don't know how to do it, someone did it for me at some point, and it works.
Caveat: Every time you have to send an email to an alias like alla@math.uu.se, the email WILL NOT GO THROUGH, and you WILL GET NO WARNING IT HAS NOT GONE THROUGH, unless you select the gmail account associated to the university.


Mail client for android: K9


SIP accounts for teleconferencing
High end smatphones have option to select it. Must contact SIP provider.
It appears that this is similar to the UK Telediscount - type methods.


LYX: A Wisiwyg LaTeX
To be discussed later.