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+# SCANDAN for Research Users
+
+## Introduction
+
+Research users are provided with access to a virtual desktop, and can log into it
+using either the desktop interface (called `RDP`) or to a command line interface
+(called `SSH`).
+
+If you have any problems logging in then please contact your Research Coordinator.
+
+The interface has a hidden menu - press the SHIFT + CTRL + ALT keys together
+for access to an on-screen keyboard and other facilities. This might be helpful
+if you have odd characters in your password.
+
+## Access to data
+
+Your project data will be made available in `/safe_data/2223-0200`
+
+## Access to software
+
+You can write software in R or Python, and you have access to the software
+repositories CRAN and PyPi respectively.
+
+NOTE: for Python users - the default Python is supplied by Anaconda
+(`/usr/local/bin/python`) but this is an old version 3.7. The whole
+Anaconda environment has been deprecated and may be removed in future.
+However if you wish to use it and create conda environments then you
+can do so using the `--offline` option, e.g. `conda create -n my_conda_env --offline`
+
+The recommended option is to ignore Anaconda and use the built-in Python,
+which is a more recent version 3.10, and use it from a virtual environment.
+```
+# Download a copy of 'virtualenv' into your personal pip environment
+pip3 install virtualenv
+# Create a new virtual environment
+~/.local/bin/virtualenv -p /usr/bin/python3 ~/my_venv
+# Every time you want to install/run a python program:
+source ~/my_venv/bin/activate
+# If you wish to switch to a different one then:
+deactivate
+```