Equipment
You are permitted to develop software (or hardware, if appropriate) on your own equipment, provided that you can give a demonstration to your supervisor. However, you should prepare a fall-back position in case your equipment misbehaves. Remember that the software on some home computers may not be reliable. It is not unusual for a potentially good project to be spoilt by bugs in compilers, libraries etc. on your own computer equipment, or to be lost or corrupted.
If you wish to use software which is not currently provided in the School please inform your supervisor immediately. A request can then be made to purchase it if an acceptable alternative is not available. A purchase request will need the support of your supervisor and is not guaranteed to be approved.
Please note that there is no excuse for failing to keep adequate backups on your home computer. If you lose your program or your data or your report because of a system failure no allowance can be made. Extensions will not be given at the end of the project for you to re-type a lost report, for example.
All students should equip themselves with a Laboratory Workbook in which they record their progress, the development of ideas, results of discussions with supervisor and decisions made as the project progresses. This will provide a source book for writing the dissertation and also provides a record of your progress through the project.
