Well...it seems that many people are in the same situation. It gets frustrating because I would need to give notice at work and plan everything etc etc. Well...you can only wait. Good Luck to everyone :D...Hopefully we will be able to support each other during the coming years :D

Hello...I have been informally offerred a PhD position, pending them checking up on references and getting official copies of my transcripts. I have already sent unofficial transcript copies, and I am sure the referees I chose are good. Does it ever happen that they go back on their unofficial offer at this stage? I really want this Phd and I know I am probably worrying too much. How does it normally work with unofficial and official offers?

Call me crazy...but I started using LaTex for my 1st degree thesis...loved using it as a challenge...and have used it since...for my masterts thesis and for other documents...and now probably will use it for my PhD...the formatting over all comes really nice...I have now gotten used to most of the commands, so it is not such a big problem...I think the challenge of using it is what got me hooked (Many people call me strange and weird...so that is normal :D)

What I do is that I do the table in Microsoft powerpoint
Then from powerpoint I copy to Corel Draw and do export as Eos

Sorry, I am not really of any help with tables...I have given up trying to do tables in Latex (never really tried actually). What I do is that I convert them to eps, and insert them as images (taking the lazy way out I imagine)...however I know it is possible to merge cells...but you would need to read up on it...there is something here http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/LaTeX/Tables

I do not really know how to check. Generally what I do is that I include \usepackage{lscape}, and if it gives me an error it means I do not have it :D

If you do not have it, you need to download the package and put it in a folder within where you have the Latex project (what I have is a folder in the latex folder called packages). You need to download it if you do not have it. Do a google search...gneerally the ctan network comes up http://ctan.org/

You have to include \usepackage{lscape} [I have a folder called style.tex, where I have all the packages]

Then wherever you want to do as landscape, you write

\begin{landscape}

Include whatever you want to do in landscape format

\end{landscape}

Hi, I have been offered two PhD positions in the past week, one in Germany and one in the UK. I like both topics (they are quite similar), and I am considering both projects. However I would like to ask whether any of you can help filling me in on the way PhDs are done in the different countries. I have seen posts about some differences on changing countries, and would like to ask whether anyone can help me out. I am so happy at the moment, but I need to make a decision. Thank you

Hi. I have used Drop box, and I find it really great to share files/folders between different computers. Basically at home you have a folder (mine is on the desktop), which is similar to other folders. You simply open it and drag and drop files/folders in it. Or else if you are working on it you save in it. When you go to another computer where the programme is installed, you would have a similar folder. If you go on another PC where drop box is not installed you can log in online and find everything there. I also use the option of having files/folders which are shared with other people using drop box.
However there are other ways to achieve this I would imagine. For me however it works, especially to share large files, which would not be possible to share via email.

Hi...I will be having a telephone interview for a PhD I really want this week. I would like to ask whether anyone can help me out with what I need to be prepared for, and perhaps hear from some people who had a telephone interview. I am trying to read a couple of publications etc on the subject, however I would really appreciate some feedback, particularly with respect to telephone interviews, as I am not so confident over the phone!
Please help!

Is it giving any errors when you compile it?

Hello

If you just need to insert the document, just do new document e.g. abbrev.tex...and wherever you want to put it in do /input{abbrev.tex} or something similar, depending on the saved location within the folder of the latex project...remember to save the abbrev.tex to the relevant project you are working on

Hello

I am not sure if this is of help, but the wikibook for latex is always a lot of help, and i generally manage to use it successfully.

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/LaTeX/Tables

Please find the link from this wikibook regarding tables. Tables are not so easy to include. Sometimes what I do is that I convert the tables to images (preparing them in word or powerpoint, the using corel draw to convert to .eps) and insert them as images.
Hope this is of help