Fine Arts 115 and FA B003 Lab Rules

  • This lab is for scanning, digital video capture, and archival fine-art large-format print output as relates specifically to coursework in the Art Department at U. Albany, SUNY only. Work on papers, check your e-mail or lurk on Facebook somewhere else.
  • Use of this lab for commercial work un-related to U. Albany Art Department coursework is expressly prohibited. Students working on outside commercial projects will be permanently barred from the lab, yet will still be required to produce work for the course in which they are enrolled.
  • ONLY students who are currently registered in either a Digital Media, Photography, Printmaking or Video course may use this facility. Do not, under any circumstances, permit someone you do not know to access this lab.
  • The lab will be available on a first-come/first-served basis during posted hours. If your project requires hours of rendering (or if you are queueing a huge print job), you must queue it up at the very end of the evening for rendering overnight. You must come retreive your print before the first class the next day. If the printer needs to be used for a scheduled class, be forewarned that it will be re-set and your job may be interrupted (and thus ruined).
  • You may work in this lab only in the presence of a trained monitor (unless you are a monitor--duh). Food or drink (or smoke) are prohibited in the lab.
  • Do not touch the surface of the displays.
  • Do not attempt to install software on these machines (this includes AOL Instant Messenger or any Flash Player plugins). Violation of this one gets you booted from the lab for good. No exceptions. Do not modify system settings (other than monitor calibration, which is okay). We don't care what your background or training is--these are not your computers.
  • Do not give out the code for the numeric key-pad lock to anyone (including faculty members or security personnel). Any transgression on this score will cause the code to be immediately turned off--no access until further notice. The real drag is that, in the meantime, you will still be required to meet the course requirments. Don't put yourself in this impossible situation. It isn't worth it.
  • Do not attempt to open the CPU case--ever. Only USB or Firewire peripherals may be connected by students to these computers. Any other system or hardware modifications required must be done by an instructor or technician.
  • All files must reside in folders. To clarify: we do not consider the desktop a folder. Files left loosly on the desktop are automatically jettisoned at the next login. You may store locally on the drives, but you must make a folder with your name on it inside your class folder. Files found anywhere else on the system will be automatically deleted. This includes files with clever names such as "Do Not Delete Me!". Any folders in excess of 4 GB will marked for weekly deletion, as well.
  • If you make a mess, clean it up. If you arrive to find a mess, clean it up. If you are waiting for a print job to spool or a video project to render, find something to clean. This lab is a co-operative venture: all who use it are responsible for keeping it operating efficiently.
  • Log out of the computers when you leave--don't shut them down. If you run into problems or the machine crashes and you are forced to restart, please make a note of what anomaly occured (making certain to indicate at which workstation the problem occured) and send a detailed e-mail to the listserv. Most problems can easily be resolved, but only if we know about them.
  • Your use of this facility constitutes an agreement to these rules. Have fun. Do brilliant work, but please be gentle with our aging machines.