🚀 go-pugleaf

Hello !
I have the feeling that at the moment we do not have the problem
of 'software overload' although it may become increasingly important.
I like to have the possibility to obtain the majority of the published
molecular biology software from sources like netserv@embl or the iubio-
archive free of charge. In the past there were lots of algorithms published
and you had no chance of testing them on your own problems, because you
had to implement them for yourself (of course having no time for such
distractions).
I am willing to accept a certain quota of 'junk' on these servers, if
some conditions are met:
- The usage of the program and the algorithms involved should be
  documented well enough to understand what the program is good for.
  (This was a real trivial remark)
- It would be very nice if the authors would publish and distribute
  the source code as well. This would give programmers the possibility to
  improve the user-friendliness or to remove bugs, if they like to.
  Most of all, is is important to add or change the sequence-formats
  supported by the program. It is not a nice task to bring together
  sequence-analysis software available only as executables, the one
  of which only supports IG-format, the next one only EMBL-flat file, another
  one only GenBank and so on.
  Additionally the distribution of source code would allow porting the
  program into other computer environments.

I am aware of the fact that some authors would not agree because of
copyright considerations and the fear of seeing there nice programs
degraded by some stupid programmer out there.
Bu if i have a look at the programs on distribution by the servers
which are available as executables only, i feel that most of them would
profit from modest modifications.

I think that most of the mol.Biol. Computer people being on the net
would agree, am i right ?
                             Kay Hofmann

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 Kay Hofmann                                  BITNET: AKC01@DK0RRZK1
 Institut fuer Biochemie (med. Fakultaet)             AKC01@DK0RRZK0
 Universitaet Koeln
 Joseph Stelzmann Str. 52
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