The consultants will be able to serve everyone better if you do the following:
- Be prepared to tell the consultant what kind of computer you are using; for example, is it an IBM PC-compatible? a Macintosh? a Sun workstation? the IBM RS/6000 or the SP2? Know your account information if you are connected to a Unix machine from a microcomputer.
- Be prepared to tell the consultant what language or package you are using on the computer. Be as specific as possible - remember that there are different versions of languages and packages on different machines (and sometimes on the same machine!).
- Bring a written note of the error you are getting - telling the consultant that the error was "something like..." is not conducive to solving the problem quickly.
- If possible, bring a written note or printed listing of how the program was run. On RS/6000s or Suns, use the command "script" to capture output sent to the screen.
At times, the consultants will have to leave the consulting area to look at a problem as it occurs on the screen, so try to be patient if the consultant is not immediately available.
Remember that consultants are given the following guidelines:
- The consultants are here to help you help yourself; this does not include extensive teaching of programming principles to users on an individual basis or detailed interpretation of program output.
- The consultants do not answer/solve logic problems. They can give debugging advice for these types of questions.
- The consultants may not be able to provide assistance when execution of a program is highly dependent on an extensive knowledge of the subject area or an individual instructor's programs; they may attempt some error diagnosis.
- The consultants do not write code or complete homework assignments for users.
A final note: should consultants have difficulty with your problem, they are supposed to get advice. During business hours, this involves calling a full-time staff member for help. At other times, they may confer with other consultants or send electronic mail to staff members. Receipt of your question will usually be acknowledged quickly but remember that it may take a day or two to receive an answer to your question.
Should you have a problem working with a particular consultant, you should send electronic mail to the student consulting coordinator at the address itc-labsupervisor@virginia.edu.