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Logging into the EPS server using MacOS X

A brief survivor's guide...

Accessing the eps server using MacOS X...

MacOS X 10.0.1 and later has OpenSSH integrated into its kernel operating system. To read more about this, go to: http://www.info.apple.com/ and enter "openssh" in the Search box. (Alternately: Apple TIL Article 106274)

Open the Terminal Utility (go to Applications:Utilities:Terminal).

At the $ prompt, enter -

ssh -l yourEPSlogin eps.geo.berkeley.edu

Example:

ssh -l katie eps.berkeley.edu

where Katie's email address is katie@eps.berkeley.edu. Note that's a lower case "L" - not a "one" - in the command line.

Next you'll be prompted for your eps password. And you're in!

Changing your password...

If you're just starting, the first thing you'll want to do is change your temporary password. At the eps$ prompt, enter -

yppasswd

You're prompted for your current password (the temporary one).

The next prompt is for your new password. Your new password must have 8 characters or more in length, at least 2 alphabetical characters in it, and one or more special or numerical characters. Avoid more than 3 alpha characters in a row. Examples of good passwords: sta#rtreK or k8j*gy or blu*kow. Try to avoid words that exist in any language; password cracking programs use electronic dictionaries for multiple languages.

Note: you'll see no characters on the screen.

Repeat your new password to confirm.

And you're done. To leave the remote server, enter:

logout

UNIX commands at the terminal window...

If you have forgotten (or never knew) the standard Unix commands, you may find this resource useful: http://www.bsd.org/unixcmds.html

If you're already logged into the server, you can bring up help pages that describe how to use the many unix commands, and all of the modifiers:

man command

Example:

man passwd

This will give you information on what the command passwd does, and what modifiers can be used with it.

Use the return key to advance through the help pages. To print from the MacOS X terminal window, advance through all the help page first before either selecting the text you want to print, or printing "all."

[What is the shell prompt? Examples are % or $. The different prompts can help you figure which "shell" you're working in. For example, the MacOS X 10.3 prompt is yourusername$, while the eps.berkeley.edu prompt is eps%.]

To activate (or deactivate) the vacation program...

At the eps server's prompt, enter -

vacation

You'll be prompted through the next several steps.

• If you have a pre-existing vacation message, you'll have an opportunity to edit it
• If your vacation program is active, you'll be asked if you want to remove the .forward file; this deactivates the vacation program

Editing the vacation message will require a little "vi" skill, but it's not too difficult. Vi rudiments are available at: http://www.eng.hawaii.edu/Tutor/vi.html

If you create a custom vacation message, here are some tips:

• Include a subject: I am on vacation
• Do not include a to: or from: - that's automatically handled by the vacation program
• If you include the string $SUBJECT within your message, the subject of the original message will replace the string in the vacation reply

Example:

Subject: On vacation until 08/26

This is an automatic reply. Your mail regarding $SUBJECT will be read when I return. If your message is urgent, contact Joe Blow at joe@blow.com.

- Jennifer Blow

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Copyright 2004 UC Regents          Last modified 20-Nov-2008 11:09 mes