Desktop Scientific
Scientific people mainly use Unix for their batch, maybe a GNU/Linux workstation would be more efficient ?Study of what already exists
- http://www.caelinux.com/ adds salome and Code_Aster to a live-cd for CAE (computer aided engineering) see CAELinuxSuggestions for other suggestions (mainly in physic)
- https://www.scientificlinux.org/ a RHEL 4 for scientific peoples : mainly a dedicated bootsplash + specific packages (openafs, mp3)
- http://freshmeat.net/projects/vigyaancd/ an electronic workbench for bioinformatics, computational biology, and computational chemistry. It is a Linux-live CD containing all the required software to boot the computer with ready to use modeling software. It includes Artemis, Bioperl, BLAST (NCBI-tools), ClustalX, Cn3D, EMBOSS tools, Garlic, GROMACS, Ghemical, GNU R, Gnuplot, GIMP, ImageMagick, JMol, MPQC, NJPlot, Open Babel, Octave, PSI3, PyMOL, Rasmol, Raster3D, SMILE, TINKER, XDrawChem, Xmgr, and Xfig.
- an interview with users seems required to identify requirements and usages
The context
Take into account the requirements for- biologist (may need GIS)
- physicists (computation on clusters)
- chemist (ADN or molecules oriented programs)
- mathematicians (formulaes + formal calculations)
- others ?
Perhaps provide users with a dedicated bootsplash ?
Primary requirement is to take into account the admin requirements : manage easily installation, take into account business requirements (deploy easily new software, even if not yet packaged, manage security updates)
Advantages of GNU/Linux
- an efficient operating system (workstation oriented), immediate interoperability with servers (ssh, vnc, ...)
- a set of packages immediately available : example (to be provided)
- the possibility to contribute packages to a distribution (which greatly eases the work of the workstation administrators)
- promote libre software with appropriate licensing : without falling into proselytism, show that the correct choice of license can benefit everyone : engineering state shools for example, the seamless integration in Mandriva Linux being a vector of international distribution, the use being not restricted (immediate availability to students is a plus), it will be easier to use on clusters as well... (more efficient)
- add a dedicated section on corpo.mandriva.com website (with an open website/wiki to get users to contribute with a free account)
basic choices
- dedicated set of packages installation
- dedicated bootsplash ?
- unique interlocutors for feedback ?
- proceed with interviews (single point of contact for feedback) ?
advanced choices
- identify contributing users (doc, packages, support, ...)
- get understood the licensing issues, involving state schools and universities
- add an entry forum scientific mandriva at http://forum.club.mandriva.com/
links
- http://www.rap.ucar.edu/staff/tres/elements.html [en] The Elements Of Style: UNIX As Literature
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