Re: SEUL: GPL/Apps/PR (Reply to Paul et al.).

[Paul Anderson <paul@geeky1.ebtech.net>]

On Thu, 7 Aug 1997, Aldo-Pier Solari wrote:

> Paul Anderson <paul@geeky1.ebtech.net>:
> 
> > Err, you mean 'GPL', right?  
> 
> That's correct. Sorry for the typo: GPL (General Public License). JPL 
> was the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (btw: from which we use remotely 
> sensed data in our studies).
> 
> >As it stands, I do agree with your view that Linux could use more 
> >advertising.  
> 
> I agree. Perhaps, a good idea for SEUL would be to make a master CD 
> and send it away through PC publications such as Byte, PC World, etc.
> I'm sure many magazines would go for it. Mostly, it is Slackware 
> which is distributed through magazines (at least in Europe).
> 
Linux(at least in the circles I travel) is often ditributed with books...
Like, they have books "how to create your own internet site", it takes too
much jury-rigging with Win95 to get it going so they just include a
slackware CD.

> > Out of curiosity, what software is most commonly used in the 
> > scientific circles you follow?  Any comments for feaures 
> > seul-admin should have let me know.  
> 
> Besides common productivity apps (such as words procesors and 
> graphing tools), marine scientists use a wide range of software apps. 
> which may range from phylogenetic to chemical to data bases to maths 
> & stats to visual data analyses, geostats & GIS.
> 
> I, for one, use heavily maths & stats apps.
> 
> When I offered material on Linux & SAL (Scientific Apps for Linux) to 
> the conferences I manage, the main interest among scientists was on 
> 'visual data analyses apps', such as Khoros, GRASS and others. This 
> is so due to the high cost of such software in the commercial world. 
> Such apps, IMO, are 'flagships' to Linux and may be the reason why
> many scientists may take the definitive step to migrate to this OS. 
> Scientists always consider time efficiency of a software package (and 
> OS).
> 
We should put empasis on making installation of such programs a peice of
cake, and maybe even aid in their development.

> BTW: Yesterday, I was in touch with the SAL manager. He mentioned he 
> did not promote SAL outside the Linux community. I guess, the 
> heaviest PR should be done outside the L*x world: SAL is an important 
> vector for Linux, i.e. academics will migrate to an OS due to the 
> available tools to get their job done. As long as the OS is not too 
> complex, the migration is mediated by the available apps.
> 
> I proposed the SAL manager to run a worldwide list and to make heavy 
> PR in scientific fora.
> 
> Furthermore, it may be a good idea to establish links between SEUL 
> and SAL and, perhaps, include a handful of sc.apps. once the SEUL 
> distribution is ready to go.
> 
It'd be a good idea to include say, scilab and a few other scientific apps
in SEUL.  TTYL!


                            ---
                        Paul Anderson
		   paul @ geeky1.ebtech.net
    Author of Star Spek(a tongue in cheek pun on Star trek)
e-mail: starspek-request@lowdown.com with subscribe as the subject
I hear it's hilarious.               Maintainer of the Tips-HOWTO.
          http://www.netcom.com/~tonyh3/speck.html
                   It's a measure to pleat you.


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