Software on Virtual DICE

The software in Virtual DICE is a subset of the software on normal DICE computers. Some DICE software is too big to fit. Other software is excluded for legal reasons, or because it doesn't make sense to run it in a virtual machine. For example, Google Chrome, Matlab and Webots are all excluded - but you can run them on a normal DICE computer in the AT student labs.

Software updates

Here's how to keep Virtual DICE up to date with the software we recommend. Before doing this, read the Notes section below.

sudo om client run

Wait a few seconds, then:

sudo om file configure
sudo om apt run -- -t

The last of these commands does a dry run of the software update. (The first time you do this, it may take several minutes. Please be patient!) If there are no errors, go ahead and update the software, by typing:

sudo om apt run -- -f

As soon as that finishes (and not before), please reboot Virtual DICE by typing:

sudo reboot

The reboot completes the update.

Notes

• Software updates are optional. You do not need to do them.
• Software updates will only work when your host computer is on the Informatics network - so, it must either be using the Informatics ⇒ OpenVPN service, or be connected by a network cable to an Informatics network port.
• If you have used apt or dpkg to install any software on Virtual DICE, it will be removed by this software update.
• There is no point in updating the software more often than once a week.
• A software update will not upgrade last year's Virtual DICE to this year's. To get this year's Virtual DICE, ⇒ download and ⇒ install it.

Next page

⇒ Support for Virtual DICE.