Getting Started

Welcome to SENS Computing with UBiquity!

First off, welcome to SENS and the UBiquity computing environment! We have a one-sheet handout that briefly introduces us and has instructions for new users on getting a SENS account, finding a computing lab on campus, and other useful information. It is available near our offices on the first floor of Bell Hall (Enter the CIT/SENS public computing lab and turn right), and we welcome you to stop by and get a copy if you are unfamiliar with our services. Here is a PDF copy for your convenience (you will need Adobe Reader or some other PDF viewing utility to read this document).

Assistance

If you need assistance with anything covered on this page, or any other computer-related issues for that matter, please read our support and assistance page.

Setting up your SENS account

You are eligible for a SENS account if:

  • You are currently affiliated with the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences or Natural Sciences & Mathematics (including Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, or Physics)
  • You are not affiliated with either school, but are taking a class in Engineering (including Computer Science & Engineering), Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, or Physics that requires access to a SENS-supported lab.

    Please note that accounts will be granted ONLY to students in classes that require them. If you do not know whether a SENS account is required for your course, please check with your instructor.

  • You are a student in another department who wants to use the Bell 101 or Fronczak 408 lab

To request a SENS account, please fill out the form here. You will be notified by email when your account has been created. Your password will be the same as for your UBIT account.

SENS computing policies and practices

All SENS account holders are expected to abide by the SENS Computing Policies and Practices.

Accessing SENS and UB Services Remotely

To access SENS and UB services from a location other than a UB campus, please refer to the Remote Access page.

Using SENS or CIT Public Unix Labs

To log in to a Unix (Sun, SGI, Hewlett Packard, or Linux) workstation in any UBiquity Unix laboratory, simply type in your username and your password. As with the SENS Timeshare systems, you use your UBIT login name and password.

For a complete list of UBiquity Unix labs, please refer to our facilities page.

Get a computer on the network

If you've purchased a new computer, or have an existing one that is not currently on the network, please send email to senshelp@buffalo.edu for assistance.

Special Commands

use
This command sets up your sessions environment for using various software programs. For more info, please refer to this page.
mksenspage
Creates a directory named "public_html" under your home directory, and builds a small web page that can be used as a template for your own personal web page. For more information on SENS-hosted personal web pages, please refer to this page.