Superuser privileges are limited to lab admins to limit security concerns, and to keep workstations relatively uniform and easier to manage at scale.
I HAVE A SOFTWARE REQUEST
The software may already be installed (check by running dpkg --list | grep packagname) or it may be loadable from our collection of environment modules.
We welcome your software requests at research-support@sfu.ca.
For popular software like MATLAB, Maple, Dropbox, TeamViewer, MATLAB, and LaTeX, see our Software FAQ page.
I NEED TO ‘YUM INSTALL’ OR ‘APT-GET INSTALL’ A PACKAGE
Please contact research-support@sfu.ca and we will distribute it across all workstations. (If you need a package, chances are your labmates will, too.)
If you can’t wait, your lab administrator has sudo privileges and can do this for you.
I NEED A PYTHON MODULE INSTALLED
Python 2.x and 3.x are available as environment modules.
Python libraries can be installed without administrator privileges.
I NEED SUDOER PRIVILEGES TO COMPILE THIS SOFTWARE
A lot of software can be compiled and run from e.g., /local-scratch without sudo privileges. Most documentation makes the sloppy assumption that you are root so it may require a little extra skill.
Instead of running ./configure && sudo make && sudo make install, try this instead:
$ ./configure --prefix=/cs/mylab/coolsoftware-1.1
$ make
$ make install
[now you can run /cs/mylab/coolsoftware-1.1/bin/coolthing]
CAN I HAVE A VIRTUAL MACHINE WHERE I HAVE ADMINISTRATOR PRIVILEGES?
Unfortunately this would still add a great deal of workstation security risk and management complexity.
Virtual machines with sudo privileges are available if you need a machine for application hosting, safely disconnected from research network storage. Please get in touch if you need one provisioned.
If you need to do lightweight work in an alternate operating system, use our Windows and Linux terminal servers.
I HAVE A LEGITIMATE NEED FOR ADMINISTRATOR PRIVILEGES NOT COVERED HERE
Get in touch with us.
You may also want to investigate becoming your local lab administrator.