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Mendeley

February 08, 2016 by Laurie Parker
Categories: Productivity & Utility

Availability: Free Download
Comparable: Zotero, EndNote

Mendeley logoMendeley is a free reference manager and social network that helps users organize their research, collaborate with others, and discover new research. Search and sort references, documents and notes in one place. Users can read, annotate and add sticky notes to PDFs.

Mendeley generates citations and bibliographies in the desired style and is compatible with Microsoft Word, LibreOffice and BibTeX. Reading lists, references or full text articles can be shared either publicly or privately. Groups can be created to work on research assignments, share feedback, and write papers. Published research can be showcased with colleagues, peers, and classmates.

The program combines Mendeley Desktop, a PDF and reference management application with Mendeley Web, an online social network for researchers. Users can store all of their research in one place and access across devices. Mendeley requires the user to store all basic citation data on its servers and storing copies of documents is at the user’s discretion.

Mendeley is available for Mac, Windows, and Linux and provides 2GB of free online storage to automatically back up and synchronize the library across desktop, web and mobile.

VoiceThread

February 01, 2016 by Laurie Parker
Categories: Design & VisualizationMultimedia

Availability: Free account for up to 5 Voicethreads or purchase license

VoiceThread logoVoiceThread is a cloud application used to create collaborative slideshows of documents, presentations, videos, or images. Viewers can add their own voice, text, or video comments on the individual slides within the slideshow. These comments appear in the VoiceThread so all users with access can view and leave their own comments.

The VoiceThread can be shared via a link or embedded within a webpage. It can be set to private, shared with specific people, or shared publicly.

Licenses can be purchased, or a free account is available for creating up to 5 VoiceThreads. An up-to-date version of Adobe Flash is required as well as an Internet connection.

Tags: cloud

Jing

February 01, 2016 by Laurie Parker
Categories: Multimedia

Availability: Free download
Comparable: Screencast-O-Matic, Camtasia, Expression Encoder

Jing logoJing is a free download that allows users to easily capture basic video or images of their computer screen. Captured images can be annotated with markup tools and video captures can be narrated. Maximum video length is 5 minutes.

The captured information can then be saved to the local computer, copied/pasted into a document, or shared on the Web. Sharing options include Screencast.com, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, or FTP server.

Jing is compatible with the Macintosh and Microsoft Windows platforms. Users are required to create a free account in order to use the software.

Photos

December 02, 2015 by Laurie Parker
Categories: Design & VisualizationMultimedia

PhotosAvailability: Included as a bundled app in OSX Yosemite v10.10.3 and later.
Comparable:  Aperture, iPhoto, Lightroom, Picasa

Photos is a photo editing and management computer program developed by Apple Inc. for the OS X operating system. This application replaces the discontinued products Aperture and iPhoto. In April 2015, Photos was released as a bundled app to OS X Yosemite users in OS X 10.10.3.

Features of Photos include powerful image editing tools that are considered more robust than those previously available in iPhoto. Users can access their Mac photo and video library from all their devices through the iCloud Photo Library. Photos can be organized by Moments, Collections, and Years. Users can also share their photos on Facebook, Twitter, iCloud Photo Sharing, and AirDrop.

Tags: trm

SOFA Statistics

July 30, 2015 by Andy Voelker
Categories: Analysis & Modeling

big_brown_sofa

Availability: Free Download
Comparable: SAS, SPSS, Stata

SOFA Statistics is an open-source statistical package, with an emphasis on ease of use, learn as you go, and beautiful output. The name stands for Statistics Open For All. It has a graphical user interface and can connect directly to MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, MS Access (mdb), Microsoft SQL Server, and CUBRID. Data can also be imported from CSV and Tab-Separated files or spreadsheets (Microsoft Excel, OpenOffice.org Calc, Gnumeric, Google Docs). The main statistical tests available are Independent and Paired t-tests, Wilcoxon signed ranks, Mann–Whitney U, Pearson’s chi squared, Kruskal Wallis H, one-way ANOVA, Spearman’s R, and Pearson’s R. Nested tables can be produced with row and column percentages, totals, sd, mean, median, lower and upper quartiles, and sum. Simple but dynamic bar charts (freq or means), clustered bar charts (freq or means), pie charts, single or multiple line charts (freq or means), area charts (freq or means), histograms, scatterplots, and box and whisker plots are available. It is also possible to create chart series.

Installation packages are available for several Operating Systems such as Microsoft Windows, Ubuntu,ArchLinux, Linux Mint, and Mac OS X (Leopard upwards).

SOFA Statistics is written in Python, and the widget toolkit used is wxPython. The statistical analyses are based on functions available through the Scipy stats module.  Analysis and reporting can be automated using Python scripts – either exported directly from SOFA Statistics or manually written.

Tags: satatistics

Past

July 30, 2015 by Andy Voelker
Categories: Analysis & Modeling

Availability: Free Download
Comparable: SAS, SPSS, Stata

Past is free software for scientific data analysis, with functions for data manipulation, plotting, univariate and multivariate statistics, ecological analysis, time series and spatial analysis, morphometrics and stratigraphy.

Past went through a complete redesign in 2013.

Past works under most versions of Windows, and a beta version for Mac is available below.

Tags: statistics

Zotero

July 30, 2015 by Andy Voelker
Categories: Productivity & Utility

zoteroAvailability: Free Download
Comparable:  EndNote

Zotero is free and open-source reference management software to manage bibliographic data and related research materials (such as PDF files). Notable features include web browser integration, online syncing, generation of in-text citations, footnotes and bibliographies, as well as integration with the word processors Microsoft Word,LibreOffice, OpenOffice.org Writer and NeoOffice. It is produced by the Center for History and New Media of George Mason University (GMU).

Zotero is the only research tool that automatically senses content in your web browser, allowing you to add it to your personal library with a single click. Whether you’re searching for a preprint on arXiv.org, a journal article from JSTOR, a news story from the New York Times, or a book from your university library catalog, Zotero has you covered with support for thousands of sites.

Zotero collects all your research in a single, searchable interface. You can add PDFs, images, audio and video files, snapshots of web pages, and really anything else. Zotero automatically indexes the full-text content of your library, enabling you to find exactly what you’re looking for with just a few keystrokes.

Zotero can be installed as a browser plugin for the popular Firefox browser or as a standalone program with browser extensions for Chrome, Safari, and Firefox.

Tags: endnote

RexDB

July 14, 2015 by Andy Voelker
Categories: Analysis & Modeling
rexdborgheaderAvailability: Free Download
Comparable:  Access, Cambridge Structural Database System, Filemaker Pro

RexDB is a platform for creating Configurable Data Repositories (CDRs). Unlike typical data warehouses and data marts, CDRs can be configured by implementation analysts, usually with little-to-no help from software engineers, and with no help from database administrators.

RexDB includes several specialized end-user applications for supporting common data interaction activities and workflows. Several of these applications, such as those used for data entry and data exploration, are considered mission-critical and are “reserved” in the sense that that they can only be configured along specific dimensions to ensure high levels of stability and consistency across all solutions. Other “applets” are fully configurable in the sense that analysts can augment pre-built applets — or create entirely new applets — by configuring data models, ETL pipelines, data capture forms, data marts, user interaction screens, and business intelligence reports and dashboards.

Screens are composed of standard widgets organized inside templates. In cases where an application requires a screen not supported by the existing library of widgets and templates, the configuration library of widgets and templates can be extended by a customization engineer using a standard open-source web framework (ReactJS). Thus, the library grows over time, further reducing the need to use customization engineers for common cases and reducing the cost of delivery on standard projects.

Tags: database

Gramps

July 14, 2015 by Andy Voelker
Categories: Analysis & Modeling

Gramps_LogoTypeAvailability: Free Download
Comparable:  

 Gramps is an open source genealogical tool that is intuitive for hobbyists and feature rich for professional genealogists.  It is backed by an open community that supports research and is created and governed by professional genealogists.  Gramps will allow a user to track people, families, relationships, places, sources, citations, ancestry, media, history, and other information.  It also allows a user to generate reports on ancestors or descendants of an individual.  Translations exist for 31 different languages.  Gramps is available for Windows, Mac, Linux, and BSD.

Reaper

July 07, 2015 by Andy Voelker
Categories: Multimedia

reaper-logoAvailability: Free 60 Day Trial
Comparable: Audacity, GarageBand, Pro Tools, Audition

REAPER (Rapid Environment for Audio Production, Engineering, and Recording) is a digital audio workstation created by Cockos. It is distributed with an uncrippled evaluation license with a nag screen explaining the license cost. It is currently available for Microsoft Windows (XP/Vista/7/8) and Mac OS X (10.4-10.10). Reaper features multi-track recording, a non-destructive editing environment, real-time effects, and VST (Virtual Studio Technology) plugin ability for the addition of effects, samples, virtual instruments, visualizations, and more.  Reaper has many of the features and basic abilities of far more expensive DAW’s (Digital Audio Workstation) at a fraction of the cost.

Here is a detailed comparison matrix of several DAW software pieces.

Tags: reaper

Pro Tools

July 07, 2015 by Andy Voelker
Categories: Multimedia

pro-toolsAvailability: Download
Comparable: Audacity, Audition, GarageBand

Pro Tools is a digital audio workstation for Microsoft Windows and OS X developed and manufactured by Avid Technology. It is a de facto standard for recording and mixing music and is used in most professional recording studios. It can run as standalone software, or operate using a range of external A/D converters and internal PCI or PCIe audio cards with onboard DSP.  Pro Tools records and edits non-destructively and has the ability to process multiple live effects on each channel without altering the original recorded waveform permanently.  This makes editing and tweaking effects and sounds very easy, fast, and intuitive.  Older versions of Pro Tools can also interface with VST’s (Virtual Studio Technology), that can add in virtual effects, instruments, visualizations, sound banks, editing tools, samplers, and more.

Here is a detailed comparison matrix of several DAW software pieces.

Tags: pro tools

Haiku Deck

July 07, 2015 by Andy Voelker
Categories: Design & Visualization
haikuAvailability: Free on web or iPad/iPhone App
Comparable: Google Slides, Prezi, Powerpoint, Sway, Keynote
Haiku Deck is a web or mobile app based presentation platform that focuses on simplistic imagery and text to compliment the speaker’s narration.  The Haiku Deck philosophy is to make simplistic, beautiful, and fun presentations that highlight the speaker’s points without splitting the audience’s attention.  It contains an open license graphics library that is both visually stunning and versatile.  Users can choose between pre-created themes, decks, and slides or create their own using the gallery and editor.  The idea is to prevent presenters from loading a slide down with information that can be delivered in a more engaging way orally.  This presentation style is commonly used in TED Talks.  Haiku Deck is a free iPad/iPhone app or web-based application with limited storage.
Tags: haiku deckweb app

Piazza

June 25, 2015 by Andy Voelker
Categories: Network & Communications

Piazza-LogoAvailability: Free Web Application
Comparable: 

Piazza is a Q&A web service. It can be described as “mixture between a wiki and a forum” that can be used with learning management systems.  Instructors can create a free virtual class and send out access codes to students.  Students and the instructor can then create posts with questions.  Everyone can join in to supply answers, hints, or discussion.  Studies show that students are more likely to supply hints and help the original poster arrive at the answer themselves because they are also interested in learning the material.  The instructor can moderate posts to correct mistakes and misinformation, but students posts generally receive responses much more quickly and with more detail than if each student asks the instructor directly.

Piazza integrates with every major LMS (Learning Management System, i.e. Moodle, Blackboard, etc).

Tags: forumfreewebwiki

Tableau

June 10, 2015 by Alex Chapin
Categories: Analysis & ModelingDesign & Visualization
tableauAvailability: Free Trial
Comparable: Google Earth, ESRI ArcGIS, Origin Pro

Tableau is tool for data analysis and visualization, allowing users to represent data in many different ways including: Cross Tab, Geographic Map, Page Trails, Heat Map, Density Chart, Scatter Plots, Pie Chart and Bar Charts, Small Multiples, Dual Axis and Combo Charts with different mark types and options for drill down and drill across.

SurveyShare

June 10, 2015 by Alex Chapin
Categories: Analysis & ModelingAssessment & Tutorials

survey-share

Availability: Request Account
Comparable: Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey

SurveyShare is a web-based tool designed for:

  • assessment of teaching and learning
  • survey research
  • evaluations
  • … and more.

It is available to all UNC Charlotte faculty  for your courses and research.  You can create and compile your own questions, or you can use or modify any of the 100 available templates.  For more documentation, see: Center for Teaching and Learning > Academic Technologies > SurveyShare

Tags: trm

GanttProject

April 10, 2015 by Andy Voelker
Categories: Productivity & UtilityProject Management

ganttproject

Availability: Free Download
Comparable: Project, Trello

GanttProject is open source Java based, project management software that runs under the Windows,Linux and Mac OS X operating systems.  It features most basic project management functions like a Gantt chart for project scheduling of tasks, and doing resource management using resource load charts. It does not have advanced features like cost accounting, message and document control. It has a number of reporting options (MS Project, HTML, PDF, spreadsheets).

Tags: ganttproject

Trello

April 02, 2015 by Andy Voelker
Categories: Productivity & UtilityProject Management

trello logo

Availability: Free Service
Comparable: Project, Google Sites
Trello is a free web-based project management application originally made by Fog Creek Software in 2011, that spun out to be its own company in 2014.

Trello uses the “kanban paradigm” for managing projects, originally been popularized by Toyota in the 1980s for supply chain management. Projects are represented by boards, which contain lists (corresponding to task lists). Lists contain cards (corresponding to tasks). Cards are supposed to progress from one list to the next (via drag-and-drop), for instance mirroring the flow of a feature from idea to implementation. Users can be assigned to cards. Users and boards can be grouped into organizations.

It operates a freemium business model, as well as being cross-subsidized by other Fog Creek Software products. A basic service is provided free of charge, though a Business Class paid-for service was launched in 2013.

Tags: cloudfreemiumproject

Pixar Renderman

April 02, 2015 by Andy Voelker
Categories: Analysis & ModelingMultimedia
pixar-rendermanAvailability: Free Download
Comparable: After Effects, Blender

RenderMan is produced by Pixar and is used to render all of their in-house 3D animated movie productions. It is also available as a commercial product licensed to third parties. RenderMan has been used in creating digital visual effects for Hollywood blockbuster movies such as Titanic, the Star Wars prequels, and The Lord of the Rings.

On May 30, 2014, it was announced that Pixar would be offering a free non-commercial version of RenderMan that became available to download as of March 23, 2015.

Google Sites

April 02, 2015 by Andy Voelker
Categories: Design & VisualizationProject Management
google_sites_2Availability: UNCC Community
Part of: Google Apps
Comparable: Drupal, Project, WordPress
 Google Sites is a structured wiki- and Web page-creation tool offered by Google as part of the Google Apps suite. The goal of Google Sites is for anyone to be able to create a team-oriented site where multiple people can collaborate and share files.  Google Apps can be very useful for project management to collaborate between team members or to publicly display the progress of a project.
Tags: cloudweb design

Cyberduck

March 20, 2015 by Andy Voelker
Categories: Network & Communications

cyberduck-logo-mikeklo

Availability: Free Download
Comparable: Fetch, Filezilla, WinSCP

Cyberduck is an open source client for FTP and SFTP, and is available for Mac OS X and Windows. It supports secure transfers as well as directory synchronization. The user interacts with the user interface, including file transfer by drag and drop and notifications via Growl. It is also able to open some files in external text editors.  Cyberduck includes a bookmark manager and supports Apple’s Keychain and Bonjour networking.

Tags: FTPSFTP