1 [[!meta title="SIPB Documentation"]]
3 **2023 NOTE: A lot of this documentation is outdated, or now pretty obscure. We will get to you some new documentation about tech at MIT and SIPB Projects soon (TM)**
5 SIPB offers documentation for users at MIT and elsewhere.
7 Writing and editing this documentation is an [[ongoing project|doc/project]]. Edits and other contributions welcome.
9 ## Recent Documentation
13 * [[Using sipbmp3|doc/using-sipbmp3]] <br />
14 A guide to queue music to sipbmp3, the gutenbach system SIPB uses to play music in the office.
16 * [[Summer Reading|doc/summer-reading]] <br />
17 Documents and books that various SIPB members recommend reading.
19 * [[Moira|doc/moira]] <br />
20 Some tips for using Moira
22 * [[Pergamon|doc/pergamon]] <br />
23 Setting up a mailing list archive using Pergamon, SIPB's self-service discuss server (see below for documentation on discuss)
27 * [[Using Zephyr|doc/zephyr]] <br />
28 A guide on using Zephyr today with BarnOwl (and GNU Screen). Aimed at newcomers to Zephyr, and a pretty good reference. See also [the BarnOwl wiki](https://barnowl.mit.edu/).
30 * [[Using `zcrypt`|doc/zcrypt]] <br />
31 A guide to using `zcrypt`ed (encrypted) zephyr classes. Zephyr at MIT (mostly) doesn't support limiting who can sub to a zephyr class, so if you want to have reasonably private conversations, encrypting them is a good idea.
33 * [[Using SZS (the SMS to Zephyr Relay)|doc/szs]] <br />
34 Send and receive text messages through Zephyr.
36 * [[Using Screen|doc/screen]] <br />
37 Handy for [[doc/Zephyr]] and anything else you do in an ssh session.
42 * [[Kerberized Server|doc/kerberized-server]] <br />
43 Explains keytabs and how to get one and how that lets you SSH somewhere with Kerberos.
45 * [[Root Instance|doc/root-instance]] <br />
46 Explains root and extra instances in Kerberos.
48 * [[Using Athena|doc/using-athena]] <br />
49 An introductory guide to Athena and AFS, presented as a tutorial to set up a small web page. Prerequisite: knowledge of how to use the command line.
51 * [[AFS and You|doc/afs-and-you]] <br />
52 A useful guide to AFS (originally the Andrew File System), the system that stores your Athena files. Targeted at mid-to-advanced users, this is a more up-to-date version than the Inessential Guide to AFS below.
54 ### Client Certificates
56 * [[Configuring Client-Side Certificate Authentication on Apache|doc/apache-client-certs]] <br />
57 How to configure your own server to accept client-side certificates just like [scripts.mit.edu](https://scripts.mit.edu/)
61 * [scripts.mit.edu](https://scripts.mit.edu/): [user documentation](https://scripts.mit.edu/faq), [internals wiki](https://scripts.mit.edu/wiki/)
63 * XVM: [Using `remctl`](https://xvm.mit.edu/trac/wiki/Remctl), and
64 [Getting the serial console](https://xvm.mit.edu/trac/wiki/SerialConsole)
66 * [[Printing with CUPS on the Mac|doc/cups-on-mac]] <br />
67 How to set up printing on a Mac.
69 * [Learning Debian Packaging](https://debathena.mit.edu/packaging/)
71 * [[Using CPAN|doc/cpan]] <br />
72 CPAN is a source of many useful Perl libraries, but the tools often seem determined not to let you have them. Here's how to beat them into submission.
74 * [[Writing safe(r) shell scripts|doc/safe-shell]]
76 ## IAP Classes and Cluedumps
78 SIPB teaches [an array of classes](https://sipb.mit.edu/iap) each IAP and shorter [cluedumps](http://cluedumps.mit.edu/) in the fall.
79 Some of them leave notes useful as documentation.
81 * [Understanding Git](https://web.mit.edu/cluedumps/slides/understanding-git-2008.pdf) <br />
82 These slides were developed for a SIPB cluedump on the Git version control system.
85 ## The Inessential Guide Series
86 The SIPB Inessential Guide series contain useful information about a variety of computing topics. Explore!
88 * [An Inessential Guide to Athena](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb/project/doc/guide/guide/) ([DVI](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb/project/doc/guide/guide.dvi))([PDF](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb.mit.edu/project/doc/guide/guide.pdf))([PS](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb.mit.edu/project/doc/guide/guide.ps))<br />
89 A large guide on how to get the most out of your Athena account, from reading mail, to using AFS, to sending zephyrs.
91 * [An Inessential Quick Reference to Athena](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb/project/doc/quickref/quick/) ([DVI](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb/project/doc/quickref/quickref.dvi)) <br />
92 A one-page reference to the most basic information about Athena, including logging in, reading email, and getting help.
94 * [Inessential AFS](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb.mit.edu/project/doc/afs/html/afs-new.html) ([DVI](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb/project/doc/current/iAFS.dvi))([PDF](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb/project/doc/current/iAFS.pdf))([PS](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb/project/doc/current/iAFS.ps)) <br />
95 A guide to AFS (Andrew File System) - the system used to store your files on Athena. Note that a more updated version of this guide can be found [[here|doc/afs-and-you]].
97 * [Inessential LaTeX (PDF)](https://stuff.mit.edu/sipb/ilatex) ([DVI](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb/project/doc/current/iLaTeX.dvi)) ([HTML, but somewhat dated](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb.mit.edu/project/www/latex/guide/guide.html)) <br />
98 A very helpful guide to LaTeX, a typesetting program commonly used for doing PSets, writing papers, theses, books, etc.
100 * [Inessential MATLAB](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb/project/www/matlab/imatlab/imatlab.html) ([DVI](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb/project/doc/imatlab/imatlab.dvi)) ([PDF](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb/project/doc/current/imatlab.pdf)) <br />
101 A guide to using MATLAB on Athena.
103 * [Inessential Zephyr](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb/project/doc/izephyr/html/izephyr.html) ([DVI](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb/project/doc/izephyr/izephyr.dvi))([PDF](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb/project/doc/izephyr/izephyr.pdf)) <br />
104 A guide to using the Athena instant-messenging system, Zephyr. Less relevant now that most people use BarnOwl, try [[this|doc/zephyr]] instead
106 * [Inessential Bitmaps](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb.mit.edu/project/doc/ibitmap/ibitmap.html) ([DVI](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb/project/doc/current/ibitmap.dvi)) <br />
107 A guide to drawing and displaying XBM bitmaps and other graphics.
109 * Inessential Refrigerator Restocking (Internal DVI version - inquire at SIPB) <br />
110 A guide on how to restock a soda fridge. It isn't as hard as you make it look.
113 ## Other Documentation
115 * [How to Choose a Good Password](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb/project/doc/passwords/passwords.html) ([DVI](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb/project/doc/current/passwords.dvi)) <br />
116 A one-page list of guidelines on how to choose secure passwords, and why this is important.
118 * [Who Fixes What at MIT](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/athena.mit.edu/system/info/who_fixes_what) <br />
119 How and to whom to report all kinds of problems with computing infrastructure at MIT.
121 * [Filtering Your E-Mail on Athena](https://www.mit.edu/afs/sipb/project/doc/imailfilters/imailfilters.html) <br />
122 A quick guide to filtering your e-mail on Athena's common email-clients.
124 * [Getting Started with PGP on Athena](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb/project/doc/pgp/pgp.html) <br />
125 A quick guide to using PGP security on Athena.
127 * [DVI files? What are those? What's XDVI?](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb/project/www/latex/xdvi/xdvi.html) ([DVI](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb/project/doc/current/xdvi.dvi)) <br />
128 XDVI is a program to view DVI files, a common output format from LaTeX.
130 * [NetNews: A One-Page Guide to the Usenet](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb/project/www/netnews/netnews-doc/netnews-doc.html) ([DVI](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb/project/doc/current/onepage-netnews.dvi)) <br />
131 A one-page reference to reading NetNews.
133 * [Using Discuss](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb/project/www/discuss/discuss.html) ([DVI](https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb/project/doc/current/discuss.dvi)) <br />
134 A guide to using and enjoying the Discuss bulletin board system on Athena.
136 * [[So you want to learn Git...|doc/&git ]] <br />
137 Pointers to resources from which Git, the Version Control System many of us use.
142 While we love free and open source software, there are [too many licenses](https://www.opensource.org/proliferation) and the options can get a bit confusing. SIPB has some official recommendations for what to use and how to effect these licenses.
144 * [[Code Licensing Recommendation|doc/code-licensing]]
146 * [[Documentation Licensing Recommendation|doc/doc-licensing]]