The computer revolution arrived at Notre Dame in 1989 when the first room full of open-access computers opened with 15 Macintoshes and 20 PCs.
Now 11 of these computer clusters are arrayed around campus. But students soon won't even have to step outside their dorm rooms to tap into the sophisticated software packages and information superhighway on-ramps the clusters have been providing.
A new campus computer network, ResNet, will allow any student in any Notre Dame residence hall to connect his or her personal computer into Internet resources previously available only in the clusters. It will be as easy as plugging a cord from their computers into a wall outlet. Because the connection won't involve phone lines, no modem will be required.
The first phase of ResNet, a three-year, $7.1 million project, was activated in 12 undergraduate residence halls and Fischer Graduate Housing in August 1996. The remaining halls will be connected by August 1997.
"In 25 years this will be looked at as one of the most important events in the history of Notre Dame," predicts Larry Rapagnani, assistant provost and director of the ResNet project.
With ResNet, students initially will have free bedside access not only to the World Wide Web and e-mail, but licensed word processing and database programs. If a proposal is approved, they also would be able to tap into licensed word processing and database programs. There would be a charge of about $40 per year for use of the software, the charge being included in all students' tuition.
Rapagnani says Resnet will change the way students compute. Students typically work at the computer clusters in the evening, creating logjams. With Resnet they'll be able to type papers or produce other work on the machines in their rooms, save what they've created to space allocated to them on the ND mainframe, and print out a final copy at a cluster whenever convenient. Students who don't own a computer should benefit, too, because evening waits at the open-access clusters should be eased.
"Faculty members will know that cluster use is not as necessary," Rapagnani says, "cutting down on excuses like 'I couldn't get a computer.'"
The Office of Information Technologies is teaching students how to use Resnet. Installation fairs were held in late summer 1996, and staff members were posted in activated halls to help with connection glitches. In addition, students have been hired as Resident Computer Consultants (RCCs) in each activated dorm.
"Students tend to work when the [rest of the] university isn't awake, but the RCCs will be there," says Rapagnani.
Campus computer networks are not uncommon at U.S. universities. Notre Dame is a few years behind a handful of pioneers. But ResNet will be second to none in terms of its impact on the teaching process, Rapagnani says. "We're not at the forefront, but we've learned from those who have gone before us and we'll be offering significant enhancements."