NERSC 1998 User Survey Results

These are the complete responses to this question, with a few minor edits.

Batch documentation:

• I'd like to understand the queueing algorithm

• an interpretation of the data you get from qstat and cqstatl would be nice--I don't know what all the codes mean

• Information about queuing policies on the T3E could be improved.

• It is sometimes hard to find information on the web site, especially info needed to submit runs. For example, it took me awhile to find the maximum memory sizes for various queues and I also had some trouble looking for sample commands or batch files for running jobs I think the technical information and online help could be better organized.

• There is a lot of information, but it is sometimes hard to navigate. This is of course a standard criticism of web sites, but I think that some more attention to ease of navigation would have helped me to get up to speed sooner.

• Break up this web site into smaller, more manageable parts. The search routine isn't very helpful.

• I have virtually never found the website to be helpful. Why this is I'm not sure, but I have often tried to use it before calling the consultants without success in finding the topic.

• I use the What's New page as my browser start-up page, it's a good to keep up with what's going on, but occasionally T3E status/down-time information is posted too late. The NERSC home page is a single big graphic which is painful to download over a modem. The old NERSC logo is much, much, much better than the current Flash Gordon-esque design. I like the technical information available on the machine pages. Sometimes it seems like the software pages might be a bit lacking.

• It is not always clear how up to date the pages are. Also, revision dates would be helpful.

• The website is very well done. When I access it from home over a 28.8KB modem line, however, painting the NERSC home page graphic takes a long time because there is a lot of data. I could live with a less data-rich home page.

• I really have to look at it some more. Would you believe that for years I didn't realize that your website could be useful for tutorials and detailed information on, e.g., software libraries? You should publicize that better. Also why not email a condensed version of "what's new" to all users?

• Some of your web page documentation (examples) illustrating the use of the multiple processor environment need (or did at one time) to be completed. Without cleaning up the environment upon termination, code run interactively using more than one processor can causes unix to behave weirdly to the "uninitiated".

• I don't recall the precise problem, but I do vividly recall accessing the C++ pages and finding them in error -- so my suggestion would be to keep the tech writers up to date with the software

• The Cray manual access is a little slow, but that's probably because the files are so huge.

• It was my impression last summer that the HPSS webpages were not current, regarding how to set up the account and pw.

• I don't use the web site often enough to make a real judgement for #15. I have used the online tutorials for running batch and the cft77 to f90 changeover. I did sometimes find these confusing, but that is probably do more to my inexperience in using that sort of thing than a problem with the tutorials.

• The getting started pages are very helpful.

• I think your web pages in comparison to what I have experienced before at other places are great.

• Keep it up!

• It's pretty good now. I certainly can not say perfect since there always the room for improvement thought I don't know where it is.

• Web pages are very good, though there is some unevenness.

• Good job on the web pages overall, plainly you have people working hard on them.

• The web pages contain a lot of valuable information, and I highly commend the people who have developed them.

• See #6 [On those topics for which NERSC has tutorials, the tutorials are extremely helpful.]

• I should use Webpages more often

• sorry, I very seldom visit the web site

• Haven't really used them.

• I have not had a chance to look or use these

• Never used because I didn't know you had one.

• I don't use it very much

• I don't use many of the features above, so left many answers blank

• I don't have an answer for some of the questions because I don't experience with the related systems.

• No strong opinions

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