"History must be written of, by and for the survivors"
Our Founding
The Student Government Macintosh Lab had its earliest origins in the S.G.A. Typing Room. In a small room in the Student Resource Center, any student could come and use a typewriter to type up his or her papers. As technology progressed, computerized word processing became available. However, the only computers available for student use were in the Computer Center, and these computers were available only to those students with an account. Unfortunately, unless your class included an account on the LAN, you had to buy your way onto the LAN by paying for an account. Purchasing a home computer and laser printer in 1988 was an expensive proposition, too. The idea to fund a free-use Student Government computer lab had been suggested and allowed to die several times before and nearly died again but for the independent effort of S.G.A. Senator Fred Schmidt. Using his influence as Activity and Service Fee Committee Chairman, Fred secured (per Senate Bill 20-97) the initial $20,000 needed to put together a package of seven computers and one laser printer. (6 Macintosh SE's with twin floppy drives, no hard drives, 1 MB RAM, and one file server with 20 MB hard drive.) After some wheeling and dealing with the University administration, the Library (for workstation furniture), the Student Resource Center (for room 227), Fred, then Student Government Business Manager, Mel Rogers, and the lab's first Lab Manager, Doug O'Brien, were able to place and furnish the lab during the fall of 1988. Soon any student at UCF would be able to enjoy the benefits of a newly emerging technology: computerized word processing and 300 dpi laser printing. At the time these were hot, new technologies
Lab Opening
UCF's first Macintosh computer lab opened unceremoniously on Wednesday, January 11, 1989. Customers were limited to the curious and typewriter hold-outs. Printer output, a good gauge of lab activity, was a mere 50-75 pages per day. Soon, however word spread among the student body about how easy the Macintosh was to use, how easy the S.G.A. Computer Lab was to access, and how cheap the laser prints were: free. Printer output soon jumped to 200 pages per day and a 5 cent per page charge was placed on laser prints. By the end of the first semester, the lab was in near constant use and a waiting list gathered many names. Printer output at the of the lab's first semester of operation climbed to over 400 pages per day, with resumes and term papers making up the bulk of the output. By Spring Break of 1994, the lab was ready to expand its services. With the help of President Chris Marlin, the lab moved to room 133 of the Student Center, formerly known as the Student Organization Lounge, or as most people called it "the SOL." A copier and fax machine were added to make the lab more like a Kinko's type operation. Also during that year, the 5 cent per page laser printing charge was eliminated due to the tediousness of accounting for the money. In August 1997, the lab moved to its ultimate location, room 209 of the new Student Union. (Originally, room 209 was to be room 215.) 27 PC stations were introduced and thus the exclusive Mac era ended. Instead of ten lab assistants operating the lab, the staff now included over twenty students, with supervisors, administrators, and an assistant manager. Printing went from 100,000 print-outs per year to 725,000. Attendance now totals over 45,000 sign-ins per semester (statistics from Spring-2005). Print-outs per semester are over 1,270,000 (statistics from Spring-2005).
The Student Government Macintosh Lab had its earliest origins in the S.G.A. Typing Room. In a small room in the Student Resource Center, any student could come and use a typewriter to type up his or her papers. As technology progressed, computerized word processing became available. However, the only computers available for student use were in the Computer Center, and these computers were available only to those students with an account. Unfortunately, unless your class included an account on the LAN, you had to buy your way onto the LAN by paying for an account. Purchasing a home computer and laser printer in 1988 was an expensive proposition, too. The idea to fund a free-use Student Government computer lab had been suggested and allowed to die several times before and nearly died again but for the independent effort of S.G.A. Senator Fred Schmidt. Using his influence as Activity and Service Fee Committee Chairman, Fred secured (per Senate Bill 20-97) the initial $20,000 needed to put together a package of seven computers and one laser printer. (6 Macintosh SE's with twin floppy drives, no hard drives, 1 MB RAM, and one file server with 20 MB hard drive.) After some wheeling and dealing with the University administration, the Library (for workstation furniture), the Student Resource Center (for room 227), Fred, then Student Government Business Manager, Mel Rogers, and the lab's first Lab Manager, Doug O'Brien, were able to place and furnish the lab during the fall of 1988. Soon any student at UCF would be able to enjoy the benefits of a newly emerging technology: computerized word processing and 300 dpi laser printing. At the time these were hot, new technologies
Lab Opening
UCF's first Macintosh computer lab opened unceremoniously on Wednesday, January 11, 1989. Customers were limited to the curious and typewriter hold-outs. Printer output, a good gauge of lab activity, was a mere 50-75 pages per day. Soon, however word spread among the student body about how easy the Macintosh was to use, how easy the S.G.A. Computer Lab was to access, and how cheap the laser prints were: free. Printer output soon jumped to 200 pages per day and a 5 cent per page charge was placed on laser prints. By the end of the first semester, the lab was in near constant use and a waiting list gathered many names. Printer output at the of the lab's first semester of operation climbed to over 400 pages per day, with resumes and term papers making up the bulk of the output. By Spring Break of 1994, the lab was ready to expand its services. With the help of President Chris Marlin, the lab moved to room 133 of the Student Center, formerly known as the Student Organization Lounge, or as most people called it "the SOL." A copier and fax machine were added to make the lab more like a Kinko's type operation. Also during that year, the 5 cent per page laser printing charge was eliminated due to the tediousness of accounting for the money. In August 1997, the lab moved to its ultimate location, room 209 of the new Student Union. (Originally, room 209 was to be room 215.) 27 PC stations were introduced and thus the exclusive Mac era ended. Instead of ten lab assistants operating the lab, the staff now included over twenty students, with supervisors, administrators, and an assistant manager. Printing went from 100,000 print-outs per year to 725,000. Attendance now totals over 45,000 sign-ins per semester (statistics from Spring-2005). Print-outs per semester are over 1,270,000 (statistics from Spring-2005).