The Language Center

In keeping with the mission of the Language Center to serve the needs of modern language students who are meeting a language requirement and pay a lab fee, time limits for using all equipment and media will be enforced according to priority levels as follows:

PRIORITY	TIME LIMIT	DESCRIPTION
1	All Day	Students enrolled in a modern foreign language class that can count toward the undergraduate language requirement and/or pay a lab fee,or Instructors and staff of modern foreign language departments.
2	2 Hours	Students enrolled in one of the following: A modern foreign language class that does not count toward the undergraduate language requirement and does not require a lab fee, or Writing 140, or ALI courses.
3	2 Hours	Students enrolled in one of the following: A modern foreign language class that does not count toward the undergraduate language requirement and does not require a lab fee, or Writing 140, or all non-language staff and instructors.

Expired and lower priority users will be immediately checked out and asked to leave to make room for higher priority users. At least three PCs and three Macs are reserved for Priority 1 users at all times.

Visit your instructor for language help or conversation practice. No check-in is required to meet with your instructor during their posted lab hours. Find your lab schedule online.

Most audio files that are used with language lab manuals are available online in streaming audio format. Visit your language page to see what audio is available.

1. All users must exchange their USCard for a priority user card before using a computer or lab equipment--except when uisng the A-Station computers.
2. A-station computers are for 5-minute use only and no checkout is required.
3. You must sit at the station that is cheked out to you.
   
4. If you abandon your station for more than 10 minutes, all of your stuff will be put behind the front desk and your station will be checked out to another user.
5. Do not bring snacks, drinks, or animals (except authorized animals for the disabled) into the lab. Food and drink are allowed in the International Lounge, but you must clean up your mess.
6. Use headphones for all audio listening.
7. Do not take Language Center equipment, magazines or media out of the Center.
8. Do not change computer settings or install applications on any computer.
9. Follow directions--without disruption--of all signs and of all lab assistants who are authorized to enforce Language Center policies and procedures. Disruption includes threatening, rude and insulting words or actions. Disruption also includes any act that would interfere with work practices of staff or study practices of users,

Comfortable conversation rooms, modern PC and Macintosh computer classrooms are available for reservation only to Priority 1 instructors only.

Reservation requests must be received 48 business hours in advance of the request date. Confirmation will be emailed to the requester. If the 48-hour deadline has passed. Priority 1 users can check out a room with a valid USCard on a first-come, first-serve basis. Room request forms and further rules are available online.

Foreign language videos on DVD and VHS are available to watch only in the Language Center. Every VCR and DVD player at the Language Center is able to play multiformat and multiregion DVD's and VHS tapes. Visit the media catalogues on your language page to see what is available.

Pay only with your USCard discretionary or payroll deduction plans. Go to the USCard office in the commons lobby to obtain a pay plan account, or click here to add funds to your card.

Instructors can use foreign broadcasts in their instruction by requesting a recording that can then be checked out for a maximum of 45 days. Visit the satellite page for program schedules and a request form.

Several foreign broadcasts are available for anyone to watch in the hallway viewing areas or in the International Lounge on a first-come basis. Broadcasts are also available in each conversation room for Priority 1 reservation or check-out.

• Before you print, always do a Print Preview.
  
• Select THH Black and White or THH Color from the printer window.
  
• Always ask a Lab Assistant if there is any doubt about how to print because you will have to pay for each page printed.
  
• Tell the printing assistant at the front desk which print jobs you want to print and if you want them printed in simplex (one-sided) or duplex (two-sided).
  
• Your discretionary account will be charged before your print jobs are released. User errors or failure to tell the printing assistant which jobs you want to print are not the responsibility of the Language Center.
  
• Except for printer malfunction, all printouts will be charged at the following prices:

  Black and White Simplex	$.15 per page
  Black and White Duplex	$.15 per page
  Color Simplex	$1.00 per page
  Color Duplex	$1.50 per page

To get technical assistance on lab software and USC login issues, check out a phone at the front desk and speak to a qualified technical consultant at Information Technology Services, ITS, at x 0-5555 or in person at JEF 150.

For specific problems related to your class work or how to use a language program, see your instructor.

For all other questions, ask a Lab Assistant or visit Language Center Tech Support.

The International Lounge houses several Foreign language magazines for all users to enjoy. Visit our language pages to see which magazines we offer. Please do not take any magazines out of the Lounge. Copies can be made at $.15 per page.

To access the online language activities (audio and Mellon exercises) you will need a valid USC ID and password. Your ID and password are the same as your USC email username and password.

After logging in, you will be able to access the activities on your computer for eight hours or until you end your browser session.

You can access these activities from any internet connection as long as your USC ID is valid. For help with your USC ID, contact ISD at 213-740-5555 or email consult@usc.edu.

USC WebMail is a full featured, web based E-mail client. Features include sending and receiving e-mail and managing messages, addresses and mail folders. It supports most popular browsers including all Netscape and Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 3 and higher.

Note: Internet Explorer on Mac OS does not work with USC WebMail due to a security certificate bug in Internet Explorer. Other Web browsers such as Netscape 7 and Safari will work.

In USC WebMail, basic functions such as compose, send, receive, read, reply to, delete and forward messages, are accessed by using icons on an option bar. When you click an icon, its corresponding form appears with an option bar at the top and information below it for you to view or respond to.

Since USC WebMail is a component of Messaging Server (which provides a standard-based, enterprise messaging system), it does not require additional resources on your local machine.

USC WebMail is available for use at: https://email.usc.edu

The Language Center Epson scanner is located at the 5-minute station @ A2; however, the 5-minute rule does not apply to users who are scanning. This scanner is the same scanner found in other userlabs on campus. To use it:

1. Click on Productivity Tools
2. Click on Epson Smart Panel
3. The Epson scanner is very intuitive. Spend some time using it and you will get the hang of it fairly quickly.

Problems: If the scanner doesn’t turn on or stops scanning, make sure the plugs are secure and restart the computer with the scanner on. If this doesn’t start the scanner, then ask a lab assistant to download the computer and try again.

Saving files on Macs
As soon as you log out of a Mac, anything you saved on the hard drive will be erased so you need to save your work somewhere. Macs do not have zip drives but you have other options to store your important files:

1. USB memory keys are available for sale at the Language Center front desk at a modest price. You can use these keys throughout campus userlabs and on most USB supported Macs and PCs.
2. FTP – File Transfer Protocol allows you to log into your USC UNIX storage from home and any PC or Mac on campus. Click here for steps on how to use FTP.
3. USCdisk is a network storage link to your UNIX account.  When logging into the Mac, you will be asked to log in again to the aludra server. Follow the prompts.  Or, follow the directions here to log into your USCdisk.  You can then FTP from a PC or Mac to retrieve the file or use USCdisk again from any Mac on campus to retrieve your file.
4. Email the file to yourself using USC Webmail.

Saving files on PCs
When you log out of a PC, you work may not be there again when you log back in. PCs (unlike Macs) do have 250mb zip drives. If you do not have a zip disk with you, there are other alternatives to saving your files.

1. USB memory keys are available for sale at the Language Center front desk at a modest price. You can use these keys throughout campus userlabs and on most USB supported Macs and PCs.
2. FTP – File Transfer Protocol allows you to log into your USC UNIX storage from home and any PC or Mac on campus. Click here for steps on how to use FTP.
3. Email the file to yourself using USC Webmail.

Macintosh Diacritics
Most web forms are processed by unix oprating systems that recognize only ASCII characters, so any text input that is not ASCII will probably not be processed or sent correctly. To make diacritics in ASCII, see the table below.
You can place a diacritic mark only over letters that take a diacritic mark. For example, you can place a tilde (~) over the letters a, n, and o. You cannot place a tilde over any other letters.

Windows Diacritics
Diacritics can be made in any windows application by pressing the Alt button + a four-digit number. Make sure your “Num Lock” key is turned on and use only the right-hand number keypad if you are using a desktop computer. For laptops, see below:

To insert	On Windows desktop: Hold Alt, then type... laptop: Hold Fn + Alt, then type...	On Mac
		Press	Then Press
ã, ñ, õ Ã, Ñ, Õ	0227, 0241, 0245, 0195, 0209, 0213	Option + n	a, n, o A, N, O
à, è, ì, ò, ù À, È, Ì, Ò, Ù	0224, 0232, 0236, 0242, 0249 0192, 0200, 0204, 0210, 0217	Option + ` (grave accent)	a, e, i, o, u A, E, I, O, U
á, é, í, ó, ú Á, É, Í, Ó, Ú	0225, 0233, 0237, 0243, 0250, 0253 0193, 0201, 0205, 0211, 0218, 0221	Option + e	a, e, i, o, u A, E, I, O, U
â, ê, î, ô, û Â, Ê, Î, Ô, Û	0226, 0234, 0238, 0244, 0251 0194, 0202, 0206, 0212, 0219	Option + I	a, e, i, o, u A, E, I, O, U
ä, ë, ï, ö, ü, ÿ Ä, Ë, Ï, Ö, Ü, Ÿ	0228, 0235, 0239, 0246, 0252, 0255 0196, 0203, 0207, 0214, 0220, 0159	Option + u	a, e, i, o, u, y A, E, I, O, U, Y
ç Ç	0231 0199	Option	c C
¿	0191	Option + shift	?
¡	0161	Option	1
ß	0223	Option	s

Word processing in Chinese and Japanese are supported by NJStar-Chinese and NJStar-Japanese. NJStar is supported through the Chinese and Japanese language programs. Contact your Chinese or Japanese language instructor for instructions.

Didn't find what you need?
See your instructor for help on how to work in the language you are learning.

PC

Nero Burning ROM located in System Tools allows for CD or DVD burning if the burner hardware supports it. Nero is the only burning software for PCs that ISD supports. ISD does not support Microsoft products like Media Player.

Mac

CD burning on Macs is available through many methods.

1. Drag and Drop
   • Insert a blank CD-R
   • Press OK at the dialog box
   • A CD-R icon should appear on the desktop. Open the icon
   • Drag and drop the files to be burned into the CD-R folder.
2. iTunes
   • Insert a blank CD-R
   • Place the songs you want to burn into the iTunes playlist
   • Click the burn disk icon
   • View iTune’s Help menu for more information
3. Photo
   • Insert a blank CD-R
   • Upload the photos you want to burn
   • Click the Burn icon at the bottom right corner of the program window
   • View iPhoto’s Help menu for more information
4. iMovie
   • Insert a blank CD-R
   • Upload the movies you want to burn
   • Export the file(s) to be burned onto the desktop
   • Use the drag and drop method in #1 above to burn the exported files onto the CD-R
   • View iMovie’s Help menu for more information