[Xrays@aps.anl.gov] [Fwd: Returned mail: see transcript for details]

[Jan Ilavsky]

>
>1. What are the limitations of current tools for
>   x-ray data reduction, analysis, modeling, and simulation?

There is no system to available tools - missing is:
1. central data base with description, examples, capabilities
2. central download server with backup of older versions

Finding necessary tool is currently detective work of searching 
papers, asking colleagues, etc... Does not guarantee, that one will 
actually find all (or most) of available appropriate tools...

In more general terms, the software available is patchwork of 
programs developed on different systems, by different groups, with 
different GUIs and file formats, etc. Very difficult to get them work 
correctly in more complicated problem.


>2. What additional tools are needed?

More than what particular tools - system is needed.  System, where 
one can use moduly appropriate for particular step in data 
processing/analysis...


>3. How can the existing tools be improved?

Have central support -  what I mean to have way of finding help in 
case I need to use existing software which I do not understand. May 
be have database of "local experts"? If someone has problem with 
Fit2D (for example), who is local here with "expert" knowledge - and 
willing to help me?

Oh yes, and having manuals would be useful... But that is another problem.


>4. What will most affect the scientific impact of your work?

If someone else will develop tools my users need :-D

More realistically, if I can be sure that others will be developing 
tools compatible to what I develop. Or may be the other way around - 
if I could be developing tools in an environment (=system), in which 
I would be sure they can be used with software from others...  We 
duplicate our efforts too much.


Jan


*****************************************************************
Dr. Jan Ilavsky, physicist
X-Ray Science Division
Advanced Photon Source
Argonne National Laboratory
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