5. Software, tools and machines¶
This section makes some comments about software, tools and machines that you may make use of.
5.1. Report writing¶
For the reports, you are expected to provide word processed documents in PDF formats. There is no requirement about which word processing tools you use. Report templates will be provided for LaTeX, Microsoft Word and Open Office, but you are not restricted to these tools.
Some students make use of online LaTeX tools such as Overleaf, but local installations are also useful. We also have LaTeX installed on department machines.
LaTeX offers good facilities to be able to meet the expectations for an annotated references. Whilst Word has facilities to create and manage a list of references, we are not aware of its internal tools making it possible to produced annotated references. Other tools, such as Endnote, is a tool that works with Word and students have used it to manage references.
5.2. Version control¶
Version control systems, also known source control systems, are useful tools that help you to manage different versions of your software. It can be used for text files and binary files, e.g. images.
Information Services has an instance of GitLab installed and it would be a good choice for all projects; this is available at gitlab.aber.ac.uk. The department’s GitLab instance is currenty available, but we are discouraging its use for new student projects as we move to use the IS facility for student work.
Other Git-based version control systems are available and can be used for free, e.g. GitHub and BitBucket.
Please note, hosting large assets such as very big images might not be the best use of any space available to you on GitLab/GitHub/BitBucket.
5.3. Containers¶
The department can make a container available to students taking the Major and Minor Project modules. A container is effectively a Linux machine that you can configure with software such as Apache, PHP, Python, PostgreSQL and MySQL. It might be useful if you are working on a web-based project.
There are other ways to run web applications on the University’s equipment, which should be considered before requesting a container. Talk to your supervisor about that in your meetings.
Standard Configuration¶
The standard configuration for 2022-2023 was a Linux Container running on a department server, which is configured with:
Apache
PHP
Python
node.js
git
samba
We have yet to confirm the configuation for 2023-2024, but it will be similar to this.
If you are allocated a container, it will be dedicated to you. You will have permissions to be able to change the software that is installed.
The machine is contactable when you are on the University network (including VPN).
If you need help configuring the container once it has been created, cs-support@aber.ac.uk will be able to help.
Requesting a container¶
To ask for a container to be setup, contact your supervisor and they will ask cs-support to do that. We will only accept requests for a container via your supervisor.
5.4. Docker¶
The department does not offer any Docker facilities for Major or Minor Projects.
If you would like to use this tool on your project, you could download and run Docker on your own machine. However, do think about how you would be able to demonstrate the work within Docker given that we do not provide this facility.
Depending upon what you do with Docker, it is likely that you will have large images downloaded to your machine to support the work you are doing. Experience tells us that these images can quickly take up a few gigabytes of space depending on what you are doing. Do keep that in mind and make sure that you have an appropriate amount of disk space to be able to load the images.
5.5. Personal Machines¶
A number of you will choose to work on your own machines. Sometimes we find that a student’s own machine does not cope well with the necessary software. As an example, we have had students running tools such as Android Studio, but these ran very slowly on the students’ machines. In that situation, it slowed progress and affected the students’ ability to make progress with the project.
If you are using your own machines, take steps in the first two weeks of the project to assess if it is suitable to run the necessary software. Check that it is compatible with the hardware in your machine.
Remember that there are Windows, Linux and macOS machines available for you to use in the department. There will be times when you can access the machines on campus in either the department rooms or the wider set of computer rooms run by Information Services - check the Timetable Website to find out when these are available.
A small number of IS Windows machines on campus can be accessed through a web browser using the Guacamole facility. These are available using the Information Services installation. You need to be on the Aber network, or on VPN, to access these services.
There are also some PCs in the Computer Science and Physical Sciences building that you can use. These PCs are not in teaching rooms. The machines dual-boot into Windows and Linux and have the same build of the software that is on the machines in LL-C56 and MP-3.03. The machines are in the following rooms: LL-B59 and MP-1.05.
The machines in LL-B59 (in the Computer Science building) are accessible between 8am and 10pm each day (apart from closed days over the Easter weekend). Your keycard should give you access to the building during these times. You must leave by 10pm.
