Since the primary purpose of the Linux Lab is to support student work in specific courses, any software installed on those machines needs to be tested to make sure its requirements align with the main packages we use from Cadence, Mentor Graphics, Synopsis, etc. As such, students do not have the ability to install software system-wide.
If there is additional software you need for a class, you should talk to your TA or Instructor. They can work with the CAD TA to determine whether it is possible (and makes sense) to install the new software you request on all the lab nodes.
You do have the option to build and install software into your own home directory (typically using the standard “./configure && make && make install” paradigm), which doesn’t require root privileges. However it’s important to note you’ll be constrained by the existing library versions, python version, etc. which are deployed on the Linux Lab machines – the versions are not always the most recent, since they are based on the requirements of the software listed at the top of this page. Students who try this are expected to have enough knowledge to manage the install themselves, and to troubleshoot any problems doing so – ECE Computing cannot provide support for software installed in this manner.