I ntroduction Oxford Brookes University provides a network of 697 IBM compatible PCs in 36 Pooled Computer Rooms spread widely across the University sites so that in many cases you will be able to work in or close to your own departments. Each room usually contains about 20 computers connected to both local and central laser printers. Some of the rooms are available 24 hours a day every day of the year. You can obtain access by swiping your green library card given to you at enrolment in the bar code readers outside each 24 hour room. All PCs are running Windows 98, there are also selected Pooled PC rooms which provide Windows NT operating system.
Every pooled room has a comprehensive menu of applications.
There is a wide variety of Windows software for word processing, databases, statistics, spreadsheets, CAD, graphing, drawing, presentations, desk top publishing, programming, Library resources, email and Internet services, together with a variety of discipline-specific packages mounted at the request of the academic schools. There is also a specialist Unix system supporting Computer Aided Design, Geographical Information Systems and Oracle databases. Maps and opening times are located on the door of each pooled computer room. Many of the pooled computer rooms are often booked for teaching during the day. There are monitors outside the Gipsy Lane Help Desk and in the Wheatley foyer which shows how many machines are free in each room.