Jan Iven wrote:
> On 06/05/08 18:38, Andy Buckley wrote:
>> Troy Dawson wrote:
>>
>>> **Ubuntu Creep
>>>  - We ran out of time for this.
>>
>> Oh well! Does anyone have any comments to make online?
> 
> From my perspective, what matters with SL(C) is the validation of
> experiment software, and the (current) assumption at CERN that desktop
> == public interactive cluster == batch service == grid (i.e. HEP-wide
> compatibility).

In my opinion, the homogenisation of HEP batch services has been a
double-edged sword. On one side, it has definitely made the above
assumption valid, which is nice for non-technical users (except that
their desktop functionality is then limited to that of a 3 year old
batch/Grid node... hence the Ubuntu/Fedora creep among more techie
physicists).

But simultaneously, the single supported target platform has led to
non-portable experiment software and LCG middleware. My experience is
that *having* to ensure portability results in better code, and easier
portability between major releases of SL, but the enforced SL domination
means that this often isn't done.

So I (tacitly, but actively) welcome Ubuntu (and everything else*)
creep, in the hope that it might lead to better software!

And that's *my* $0.02 ;)
Andy

* Except Windows ;)

-- 
Dr Andy Buckley
Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology
Durham University
0191 3343798 | 0191 3732613 | www.insectnation.org