Geoscience after IT: Part C. Familiarization with IT applications to support the individual geoscientist

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Abstract

Familiarization with IT proceeds best by first learning the basic skills, using them, and considering the consequences; thus developing a mindset to take advantage of future opportunities. A desktop computer is a good starting point. Word processing can be seen as a route from tangled thought to immaculate presentation. Spreadsheets can help to build, analyze and plot datasets. Data can be collected with forms and spreadsheets, with on-line instruments in the laboratory or in the field, or by scanning and maybe OCR. Standards are needed to communicate between systems.

Section snippets

The route to IT familiarization

Not all geoscientists are familiar with available methods of IT, although these influence all phases of a project and every type of information. This review looks for underlying principles, looking at individual support in this part, moving on to project, then global requirements (parts D–H). It tracks the process of familiarization, from ubiquitous tasks like word processing through statistical analysis, spatial analysis and computer visualization to the management of databases and

Desktop hardware

A good starting point for learning about computing applications is your own desktop computer, where skills can be learned by experiment, making mistakes in the privacy of your own office. Here is a place to learn of the user interface, word processing, spreadsheets, database and communication features. Desktop computers also support many small geoscience applications that are helpful in individual investigations.

The computer screen on the desktop is a window into information technology. It may

Word processors

Word processing skills are not difficult to acquire, and are a vital part of most geoscientists’ work. Furthermore, the skills are fundamental to most other computer applications, and few of the present readers should be without them. A very small number of word processor packages dominate the market, all with similar features, and all suited to a geoscientist’s needs. A choice between them might depend on the availability of local support, cost, their integration with other relevant packages,

Spreadsheets and business graphics

Most desktop computers offer systems for preparing and handling spreadsheets, which are of value in many areas of geoscience. Because each step of the calculation is clearly visible, spreadsheets are of particular interest in learning, teaching and exploring new ways of analyzing data. The spreadsheet is a table, or array, of numbers arranged as rows and columns (see Fig. 1). The array can be large, but because the program offers simple procedures for entering and adjusting data, spreadsheets

Capturing data and images

Spreadsheets and database systems provide means of data entry and editing, including the possibility of creating your own form to enter and check data on screen (D Fig. 3). Field or other observations can be manually recorded on printed forms, designed to ensure that all the necessary data are recorded systematically. They make it easier to transfer the data to the computer at a later date, particularly if they match a form on screen. It is also possible, though not necessarily cost-effective,

Information delivery and presentation

A surprisingly important ingredient in the success of computers is the widespread availability of good-quality printers. It is surprising because the rapid availability of information on the computer screen might seem to make the paper copy less necessary. However, paper remains a most convenient medium for reading and studying documents of any significant length. The ability to receive documents from a distant source and print them locally does, however, mark a significant change. Documents

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