Chapter overview

This chapter aims to help you to choose and use relevant ICT-based tools to perform tasks more effectively and productively.

Topics include:

Hardware, software and apps: How to identify and choose suitable tech for your purposes.

‘How it works’: Discover concepts such as how the internet works, how digital systems work (and work together), and basic concepts in coding and information processing.

Digital communication tools: Identify key tools for emailing, engaging and connecting digitally.

Digital formats: Identify the longevity, differences and uses of digital formats.

Overview

A README file is a document that introduces and explains a project, helping colleagues and your future self navigate through a past project (Briney, 2014).

Developing

README files contain information about the other files in a directory or folder. The concept comes from programming but is also very useful for research projects. It is usually a simple plain text file called README in capital letters.

A good README includes information that helps the reader understand what the project is about, including helping them do basic navigation through the subfolders (Briney, 2014).

Skilled

Helpful resources

Here are some good resources and templates used for creating README files so that you know what information you should include about your project:

These are more detailed guides on what to include in a README file for a research project, with links to templates:

Overview

Internet or web browsers are programs that you can use to navigate to and view content that exists on the internet. Where the internet is a network of digital webpages and content sitting in a database in a far away physical location, the browser is the interface that you, the user, will be using to display and access those webpages on your own computer. You are probably using one right now to view this article!

In this article we'll be looking at:

• Popular internet browsers

• How to download and install your web browser of choice

• Browser functionality

• Browser settings and customisation

• Add ons and tools

Getting started

What browser should I pick?

There are various types of browsers out there. Each of them have their own strengths and weaknesses. Depending on what type of computer operating system you have and what you might prefer in functionality, or if you are just picking on looks, there are a many choices out there. One of these will already come with whatever device that you have purchased.

Some of the more popular browers that you will encounter are:

• • Note: Only compatible with Apple devices, pre-installed on most Apple products.

• • Note: Already installed on new Windows computers and devices

Some considerations that you should make when choosing your browser would be:

• What operating system do you have on your computer?

  • Safari usually comes with an Apple computer, Microsoft Edge is provided with Windows, and if you have a Chromebook this will come with Google Chrome.

  • Most browsers are compatible with all systems. Just be sure to download the right version for your device.

• Have you already set up an account with Google, Microsoft, or Apple?

  • Each browser allows you to set up an account so that you can sync your browsing history and settings across multiple devices.

  • For example: if you are part of the Google Space you might consider Google Chrome as that will allow you to use your account to sync with your phone and access documents and services run through Google.

• Are you concerned about website tracking?

  • Some browsers like Firefox have additional settings included that focus more on privacy and security.

  • Other browsers like Google Chrome may focus more on personalisation and customisation of content based on your interactions.

• Do you have specific websites that you use that recommend a particular browser?

If you choose to switch to another browser from your current one you will need to download and install it on to your computer. If you click on the links in the browser list above, or go to the application store or website of another browser that you wish to use you will be able to download and install the browsers from there.

Installing the browser

To install a browser you can do this through a couple of methods depending on your device.

On Windows Computers

You will need to use your default browser (Most likely Microsoft Edge) to navigate to the site of your desired browser. If you want to keep using Edge then you can skip this section.

Look for the Download button on the page. This will start the process of downloading the installer onto your computer to run and install the program.

Locate the new program icon from your Start Menu. When it asks you to set it as your default browser say YES.

On Macs (coming soon)

On Android (coming soon)

On iOS (coming soon)

Browser functionality

The internet browser isn't just a program to display websites. Modern browsers can do a lot more when it comes to productivity, customisation, and personalisation.

Some of the things a browser can do are:

• Personalise and save settings between computers using the same browser*

• Share web pages between devices*

• Add on tools like password managers, citation tools, and colourblindness assistance

*These require a personal account set up with the browser

Parts of your browser (Draft)

The browser has a lot of parts attached to it. Each of them work together to help you work with the complexities of the internet. When you think of a web page you might notice there's a lot of layers to it. The first part will be your browser or user interface. This is the browser's global navigation and will stick with you no matter where you go on the internet (Garsiel & Irish, 2011).

The Address Bar

This is where you will put the address of the website that you want so the browser knows what to bring back to you.

The address bar also doubles as a search function. If you put in a search or some words instead of a web address it will use it's default search engine (Google, Bing etc.) to look up those words on the internet.

Navigation Buttons

These are located just to the left of your address bar. Usually you would have 3:

• Back ←

• Forward →

• Refresh/Stop ↻

Browser Menu Options

In the top right you will find the browser menu indicated by the 3 dots.

In the browser menu you will find options to log into your account (if not located next to the menu), browsing history, saved bookmarks or favourited pages, browser customisation such as zooming or colour themes, add ons, and settings.

Bookmark Bar and Tool Bars

Tabs and Windows

A lot of browsers will support having multiple tabs or pages open at the same time. You will find them all laid out across the top of your browser. To add a new one press the + icon at the end of the tab list or use the menu to open up a new tab.

Website Content

The main space of your browser will be made up of the content space. This is where your web page is displayed. Anything that falls inside this area will change depending on how the website is designed. Any buttons, links, text, and images is content from that website you have visited. All your browser is doing is displaying the content that website has delivered to you over the internet.

Helpful resources

References

Overview

Email, short for electronic mail, is an internet tool that almost everyone uses. It’s a fast way to send messages to individuals or multiple people at once. Setting up and managing your own email account is easy, and there are many free options. The most common free email suppliers are:

Developing

For a great introduction to what email is, try out the following resources:

Skilled

Sending automatic email replies

If you will not be accessing your emails and want to let other people know, set up automatic replies. For example, this is great for out-of-office messages to let colleagues know you are on leave. An example automatic reply message:

Hi, I am currently away and will return on [date]. For urgent enquiries, contact [name]. Thank you, [your name]

Adept

Creating email rules/filters to organise your inbox

In Gmail these are called filters, and Outlook calls them rules. Other services may use different terminology. Basically it is a way to automatically send particular emails into a folder as soon as they arrive. Rules/filters are helpful to reduce clutter and distraction in your inbox. Good types of email to filter:

• Automatic report messages

• Regular eNewsletter subscriptions

• Anything you expect to receive often but don’t need to look at immediately. You can create rules targeting a sender’s email address, keywords in the subject line or body, time received, or attachments. Once an email is sorted into a folder using a rule, you can set that folder to automatically archive or delete emails after a specified amount of time.

Email encryption (Outlook)

Outlook has an encryption option that needs to be turned on for each email you send. Encryption converts a message from readable plain text to randomised text; only the intended recipient can read the message. Start a new email, and under Options, select Encrypt. In this menu you can also remove the ability for the recipient to forward the email or use Reply All.

Overview

Ahhh! You know that feeling of satisfaction when that digital file you looked for is exactly where you expected it to be, i.e., in the 'right' place? That satisfaction may be on a micro or macro scale, but it reinforces a crucial point about being digitally organised.

Being organised helps us feel less stressed in work and personal lives. If you find yourself in spaces where you need to work with an ever-growing number of files, then having a system for organising them is a small but significant way to making your day much easier.

Additionally, if you are working with others and need to share files or at least share the location they sit in, having a clearly understood structure that is easy to stick to will mean less confusion in your group.

Simply put, having a consistent, logical structure means one less thing to think about and one less roadblock between you and getting the work done! Following are some principles to follow for organising those files.

Getting started

Definitions

First, let us define some terms:

• File: these are the digital items you create, use and share. They could be text-based files (e.g., Word documents), image files (e.g., JPG files), video files (e.g., MP4), audio files (e.g., WAV), or something else. Either way, these files need to be stored somewhere that is easily accessible and the name of the files needs to effectively communicate what the file is for.

• Folder: Folders are the places where files are stored. A folder can contain one or multiple files, or even none (i.e., the folder is empty). The folder needs to be in a logical place with a name that immediately communicates what the user can expect to find inside.

• Subfolder: A folder that sits within another folder, indicating a hierarchical relationship where the folder that is within the other folder is related to but narrower or more specific than the containing folder. Both folders may contain files or not.

• Structure: a. Structure here relates to the concept behind how the files, folders and sub-folders are named and arranged, i.e., organised.

Creating folders and subfolders

Creating filenames

There are several best practice principles for filenames that help provide clarity, consistency, and logic to this potentially highly subjective task. Keep the below in mind when you are creating your own files and you’ll find yourself falling into ‘good’ habits!

You may like to put the date at the start of your file. This will help put the ‘newest’ version of a file at the top of a folder’s directory. This is because the default sort option for most folders is to sort by filename (i.e., alphabetically, A-Z), which means that ‘bigger’ numbers will automatically be at the top of a folder’s file directory.

Keep filenames short but descriptive and specific “Project.pdf” is short, but could it be perhaps a little more descriptive? It might make sense as a filename in its context (e.g., if the folder the file sits in has a clear, specific name) but otherwise it’s hard to know exactly what it is – it seems that it relates to a project (which one?) but what is actually in that project file? The only way to know is to open it and that is an unnecessary waste of time.

Specificity helps with the above as well – terms like “general” or “miscellaneous” don’t tell someone much about what that file is for.

Avoid special characters To control for variations in software (including versions), it is usually best to stick with alphanumeric characters in filenames, i.e., letters and numbers. Using other characters like # % ^ $ etc. may cause problems when moving between software or devices.

Version numbers Version numbering might be a useful component of your filenames, even if you aare working on something solo. This could be communicated through the inclusion of “V” somewhere in the filename followed by the version number; for example: 20220831 Project Update V01.docx.

Note that the use of two-digit numbers after the V (e.g., 01, 02, etc.) means that the files will stay in the ‘right’ order (like with the use of dates as the first part of a filename, as above).

Discuss and document conventions When collaborating, it is important that everyone understands how filenames will be created. Having everyone in the team understand and use the same filename conventions will make for a more efficient workplace. Therefore, it makes sense to communicate in the team about filenames and come to an agreement on what protocols will be followed. As part of this communication process, these protocols should be documented and shared with the team, so that they are available for reference when needed.

If you are working on files as part of a larger team there may be local conventions which you will of course need to follow, even where they conflict with the above principles – or you could perhaps take the initiative and use these principles as a chance to suggest improvement! Communication is always an issue in teams or organisations, and filenames are a form of communication, so why not seize the opportunity to improve team communication by getting everyone on the same page, filename-wise?

Tips for organisational hygiene

Principles for file and folder organisation

Be consistent and logical There are several options for organising files. One of these is to use a hierarchy, where files sit within folders. These folders may have subfolders within them which relate to the folder but are intended to contain narrower or more specific files.

Avoid duplication or ambiguous naming

Make a decision and make it clear, so that future you will be grateful This requires some self-discipline, in the sense of sticking to a goal that you set previously. Keeping yourself ‘in line’ and following the principles will be a time saver later on.

Plan ahead

Spending some time now could save you lots of time later When creating a new folder – perhaps you have just started a new project? – spending some time at the beginning to anticipate the folders and sub-folders you might need, and then actually creating them so that they’re empty and ready to go when needed, will help with creating a structure that is logical and organised.

The siren’s call of Documents (or Desktop or Downloads or…)

Promise yourself that temporary truly is temporary This refers to the temptation to put files in either the ‘closest empty space’ (e.g., Documents or Desktop) or to leave them where you found them, even if these places are intended as temporary storage spaces or otherwise do not contain related files or folders.

Clean up after yourself

Archive or delete as necessary Your organisation may have policies around retention of files, and these may be driven by legal requirements. It is a very good idea to follow those policies! However, this doesn’t stop you from cleaning up as you go along. Instead of allowing a folder to become filled with old files that you are unlikely to open again any time soon, put them into an Archive folder so you have space to focus on what you are using now. In addition, take a good look at what is there. Is some of it OK to delete? Perhaps there are initial drafts of reports that have been superseded, or maybe you have screenshots that are now out of date, or a spreadsheet you started but never finished and then ended up doing something else anyway?

References and further reading

Overview

Spreadsheets are divided into cells and each cell contains one piece of data that can be used to calculate, compare or filter information. Each column of a spreadsheet is labelled with a letter, A-B-C-D-etc, while each row is labelled with a number, 1-2-3-4-etc. This means the first row and first column is cell A1, while the cell in the fifth column and tenth row is E10. The data in each cell can be a variety of things such as numbers, currency, dates, words and formulas and can be the result of calculations based on data in other cells. This can make spreadsheets very powerful programs that can be used for many different purposes and adapted to your needs. The most common spreadsheet programs are:

• Microsoft Excel

• Google Sheets, a web-based program

• Numbers for Mac computers.

Basic

Formulas

A cell can contain a formula that will display the answer to a calculation. If part of the calculation is a value in another cell and you change the value in that cell the answer will change. Formulas always start with an = (equals sign) and use other mathematical symbols such as

• plus: +

• minus: -

• multiply: *

• divide: /

• less than: <

• greater than: >

Formulas can also include instructional words such as SUM, AVERAGE and COUNT. The spreadsheet will display the answer to the formula in the cell. If a cell is highlighted the formula will be visible and editable in the formula bar above the cells. Examples of common formulas:

Freeze rows or columns

If you have a large amount of data that you need to scroll through to see you may want to “freeze” the top row or first column so that it remains visible when you scroll down or across. This will let you see the headings or labels next to your data. In Google Sheets do this by clicking the View menu then Freeze then select if you want to freeze rows, columns or both.

In the Numbers program the header for columns and rows are "frozen" by default. Adjust this in the Table menu.

Autofill

Autofill is a function in spreadsheets that allows you to automatically fill in data rather than typing it. If you want to enter 30 into many cells write 30 in the first cell. Then click the cell so it is highlighted – there will be a small square in the bottom-right of the cell. Click and hold this square with the mouse pointer then drag the mouse down or across into the cells where you want the same data to appear. This is slightly different in the Numbers program where you will drag the circle from the middle of the cell. Autofill can also be used to enter data in patterns. If you enter 1,2,3 into successive cells then highlight those three cells and drag the small square into other cells the software will continue counting up for you. This will work for many different types of patterns, including:

• Uniform jumps in numbers: 5,10,15…

• Dates

• Days of the week

• Times

• Data that contains text: Test1,Test2 – autofill will continue with Test3,Test4…

If the cell has a formula in it the autofill function will adjust the cell value in the formula. For example, if you add together two numbers with the formula =B2+C2 then use autofill to drag this formula down the cell below will be =B3+C3 so that you can add together both values from all the rows.

In some cases you may not want the autofill function to adjust the cell value in your formula. In this case use the $ symbol to indicate that the cell value should remain the same when you use autofill. For example, if you want to multiply a column of values, in column B with a constant number in cell D2 you could use this formula: =B2*$D$2 – the autofill function would increase the first number e.g. B3,B4,B5 but always multiply by the constant in cell D2.

Charts

Information in spreadsheets can be represented visually in charts or graphs. How you do this will depend on which spreadsheet program you are using. In Google Sheets you would highlight the data that you want to represent in a chart then click the Insert Chart button that is a square box with three vertical lines in the toolbar. This will create a chart and also open the Chart editor at the right of the screen. This will give you option to change the type of chart (line, bar, column, pie etc.) and change other settings. If you click outside the chart the Chart editor will disappear – edit the chart again by clicking the chart, then the menu (three small dots) in the top right of the chart.

Proficient

Conditional Formatting

Conditional formatting allows you to format particular cells if they meet certain conditions. There are many different options for the formatting but the most common is to give the cell a background colour. For example, you may choose to make cells green if they show an improvement on numbers from the previous year and red if they show a decline. You can also choose to format cells if they:

• are above or below a certain threshold

• have text that contains, or starts with, certain letters

• before or after a certain date

• many other rules

In the Numbers program this is called conditional highlighting and is available from the Format sidebar.

IF Function

Using IF at the start of a formula allows you to display a value in a cell if a certain condition is met and another value if that condition is not met. For example you could display Pass or Fail in the column next to a percentage to indicate whether someone has passed a test. If the grade was in cell D14 and the pass mark was 50 the formula would look like this:

• =IF(D14>49,"Pass","Fail")

• This is a written explanation of this formula: if the value in cell D14 is greater than 49 display Pass otherwise display Fail.

COUNTIF Function

The COUNTIF function will allow you to count the number of cells that meet whatever criteria you would like. If you had a list of “Pass” or “Fail” next to students you could count the number of students that passed. If the list containing Pass or Fail was in column E and between rows 5 and 26 the formula would look like this: =COUNTIF(E5:E26,"Pass")

Advanced

Data validation

Data validation is a way for you to ensure that the information entered into your spreadsheet is consistent. You can create a drop-down list with values to select from or create other rules that must be met. This can be useful if there is more than one person working on the same spreadsheet. For example if people have to enter grades as a percentage you could ensure that only numbers from 0 to 100 could be entered. You could also set up rules to ensure that people enter information consistently. If you are asking people a yes/no question people may enter different values: Yes, yes, Y, y, yep. This can be problematic if you are trying to calculate the number of affirmative responses. Data validation can help with this. In Google Sheets, highlight the cells you would like to make rules for, then select Data > Data validation to define the rules for data that can be entered into those cells.

All the data validation options are not available in Numbers but it is possible to create a “Pop-Up Menu” with the cell formatting options. This will allow only options defined in the list to be entered.

Developing

The QR in ‘QR code’ stands for ‘Quick Response’. QR codes are square barcodes that enable people to use their device to scan the image for quick access to a URL on the spot without having to type the full URL out. QR codes are popular on marketing posters and other print collateral where you may wish to direct people to more information than can fit on the poster or handout.

Skilled

Using a QR code

Most modern smartphones have a QR code scanner built into their camera app so you won’t need to install any additional apps to start using QR codes. The steps for reading a QR code may differ slightly between models.

• Ensure your device has an internet connection.

• Open your Camera app.

• Using the rear camera, hold your device up to the code. Don’t take a photo, just let it focus on the code. You will need to hold your device quite still.

Tip for iPhone/iPad users: If it’s not working, check the Settings on your device. Scroll down to the Camera settings and ensure ‘Scan QR codes’ is enabled. Tip for android users: You can also use the Google Lens tool to scan QR codes on an Android device.

Adept

Creating a QR code

There are a number of free, online QR code generators available. Some options include:

They all work in a similar manner in that you can simply copy and paste your URL into the webpage and it generates the QR code. Each of these tools enables you to customise the size of your QR code and other settings.

Tip: Think carefully about the size of your QR code. A code that’s too small will likely be too small for smartphone cameras to focus on. Be aware that reflection can impact on readability of the QR code.

QR codes can also be generated on devices by downloading the Google Chrome app and opening the URL you wish to use. On an iPhone, click the share icon in the search bar and ‘Create a QR code’. You can then download the QR code or send it to someone else. On an Android phone, click the three dots on the toolbar and click Share.

Overview

Most of us use the internet every day, but not all of us take the time to think about how it works. In fact, many of us will only notice when it doesn’t work. So what is the internet?

This article will cover:

• Networks and the internet

• Measuring internet speeds

• Uploads and downloads

• Cable or wi-fi?

• Networks and connections

Developing

What is a network?

In computing, a network comprises two or more devices that can communicate. A computer network is made up of a number of different computer systems connected by physical and/or wireless connections. The size of a network can range from a single home computer linked to other devices like a printer, to huge data centers that connect across the world, and to the whole of the Internet itself.

All networks allow computers to share information and resources.

What is the internet?

In simple terms, the internet can be defined as a group of interconnected networks. More specifically it is now the global network of computer networks using standard rules for how information is exchanged through the internet, also known as protocols.

Skilled

How does data move around the internet?

A protocol is a set of rules that computers can follow to complete tasks. The Transmission Control Protocol and the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) are the ones used by computers to communicate with each other. These protocols were defined in 1980 and they are what helps the Internet to move data from one place to another. Data moving over the Internet is called “packet switching.” Packet switching sends data in separate pieces (these are the “packets”) which are tagged with your intended destination.

In 1989 Tim Berners-Lee proposed a new information management system at CERN. In 1991 it was launched as the World Wide Web (WWW, aka 'the web'). The Internet can be seen as the backbone of the web – what makes the web possible.

Both hardware and software support the Internet. Types of hardware include routers, servers, phone towers, satellites, and smartphones. Types of software include browsers, such as Explorer or Chrome. Introduced in 1993 the browser made the internet and web available to a mass audience.

Measuring internet speeds

You can measure the connection speed and quality of your connected device to the internet with an internet speed test. There are a few different ones available online. For example, test the speed of your connection by clicking on this link: http://www.speedtest.net/ Make a note of the speeds then check wi-fi, mobile phone and cable differences, both at home and on campus. Compare the speeds when you change your access type. Consider the difference between these speeds and the different networks described below.

What would you consider a 'fast' connection? A 'slow' one?

Uploads and downloads

Pay attention to upload vs download speeds - these can be quite different and will affect your experience of the internet, as most domestic internet connections limit upload speeds.

Network contstraints

Networks have physical properties. Look at these websites that address some of the factors that affect network speeds:

• Time of day - https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/internet-landline-services/broadband-speeds (go to section 'Network limitations that affect speed')

• Physical interference - https://www.performancenetworks.co.uk/blog/post/5-factors-can-affect-wifi-signal/ Think of a standard network connection like rope where you unwind it and hand out each strand (as users log in). The more users, the less and less rope there is to hand out. Many laptops link to an access point on the network and that access point divides up the traffic to each laptop user. Even the placement of the cables can make a difference, as interference can come from different places, such as lifts and fans. The age and quality of the cable can also have an impact on connection speeds. Speed is constrained by the slowest part of the link, which may be the connection of your laptop to the network, or the campus LAN, or even the firewall at the campus boundary. Many factors can influence the capacity of a wi-fi connection too. Can you think of any times when your wi-fi has become unstable?

Adept

Here is a list of different technologies used in Australia for connecting computers and the internet:

• ADSL – domestic, small business, faster download than upload

• NBN – domestic (being rolled out), CBD, schools

• NREN – universities, CSIRO & some GLAM, research institutes, hospitals, schools

Each of these has different properties.

ADSL

A digital subscriber line (DSL) service provides a connection to the Internet through the telephone network. Asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) is a type of DSL technology. In ADSL, bandwidth and bit rate are said to be asymmetric, meaning greater toward the customer premises (downstream) than the reverse (upstream). ADSL2+ extends the capability of basic ADSL by doubling the number of downstream channels. The data rates can be as high as 24 Mbit/s downstream and up to 1.4 Mbit/s upstream.

ADSL2+ service is most commonly offered in highly populated metropolitan areas and subscribers must be in close geographical locations to the provider in order to receive ADSL2+. The further the subscriber is from the telephone exchange the slower the connection.

ADSL2+ has a maximum potential download speed of 24Mbps. Most ADSL2+ connections are much slower: the average Australian ADSL speed is just 8Mbps.

NBN

The National Broadband Network (NBN) is an Australian national wholesale open-access data network project. It is a government initiative to upgrade Australia’s broadband infrastructure to provide consumers with faster broadband connections.

Using a variety of broadband network technologies including running fibre all the way to the consumer’s premises (‘fibre to the premises’ or FTTP), or running fibre to a nearby box or apartment block and then using the existing copper telephone wire (‘fibre to the node’ or FTTN, and ‘fibre to the building’ or FTTB). The aim is to bring data closer to the end user on optical fibres. The differences between the methods have mostly to do with how close the delivery on fibre is to the end user.

NOTE: The main difference for the consumer between the NBN and ADSL is speed. There are various options for speed, depending on requirements.

This video helps explain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=31&v=L3QJLEbUj94

NBN evening speeds

Maximum speeds are not always available due to high traffic. This table shows 'evening speeds', which is what is expected at peak usage times between 7pm and midnight.

Remember!

The download and upload speeds of the domestic broadband speeds factor for more download than upload. That is, it is assumed that people download more than they upload.

NREN

The National Research Network (NREN) provides advanced research network infrastructure.

It is fast, with connections from 10 Gbps to 40 and 100 Gbps.

It is high capacity, catering to 1 million + users and is tailored for research, teaching and learning. It has low latency (lag) providing consistent connectivity and response times because it is designed to have ‘headroom’ or allow for bursts (elephants) of large data moving through the network.

Australia is a large continent, and the networks AARNet provides enable data capture and research to be conducted in major cities and in regional areas, where universities and research facilities and infrastructure are located, e.g. the National Computational Infrastructure (NCI) in Canberra and the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) in Murchison (WA).

Australia lies at a distance from research conducted in other parts of the world, like the northern hemisphere, and the networks AARNet provides aid in removing distance as a barrier to research collaboration.

Click here to learn more: https://www.aarnet.edu.au/our-network

Remember!

Headroom: By capping utilization at less than link capacity, the AARNet network leaves room for latency sensitive traffic in order to avoid buffering and the associated large delays.

Helpful resources