… the software release schedule, that is.
Sorry about this. I cannot provide any software at the moment because more work on debugging the program needed to be done at the last minute.

Providing people with buggy software is a sure-fire way to get them to chuck it in the trash right away. The Google way is always available, we could call it a Beta until eternity. However, the Google way has also upped the standards for Beta software, so we’d have to have a severely debugged program at the very least.

It looks like the 2D fitting function is both a little to slow for convenience and user experience, and a little too unstable. My recommendation would be to keep away from that for the time being, so probably it will only be available in the release for advanced users.

I would, however, like to have some input on the design of the meta-gui, the database software I was working on that could be used as a launcher for the SAXSGUI. Since it uses parts of the code written by Karsten Joensen, I need to discuss the release licensing terms first, and can therefore not provide you with a download-able copy right here, right now. I will, however, as soon as I can.
But perhaps you could give me some input on which fields should be present in a database sample display. So far I have the following fields:
- a centre calibration file (saxsgui)
- a q calibration file (saxsgui)
- a maskfile (saxsgui)
- a multi-line note field
- a primary beam intensity field (abs. intensity)
- a transmission field (abs. intensity)
- an electron density contrast field (abs. intensity)
- a volume field (abs. intensity)
- an autoprocess script file field (sasxgui)
It furthermore shows the resolution, filename and measurement time for each sample, for helping the recognition process.

My question to you is, what fields would you like to see in a database GUI? What information would make you recognise a sample faster? Would you like to see other things in this GUI?

Any input can be sent to me using the comments box below. With your help, this interface can become more useful for everyone. Thanks in advance.

After a meeting with the Man behind the Main code, we figured that we should have a release version containing much of the saxsgui code (perhaps without the 2D fitting functionality), out by next week.

So be prepared, here comes the Total Analysis System for measurements!

B.

Over the last week-end, I have delved into the wonders of the Graphical User Interface (GUI in short). As an exercise, and a means to vent some of my ideas, I have programmed a sample database in Matlab.

The sample database originally started as a sample chooser for the “saxsgui”, an analysis program mainly written by Karsten Joensen, of whom I spoke before. As such, it still functions, but in its functionality, it has enough flexibility to be able to serve as a sample database.

It contains preview images of the scattering patterns, a user editable note field, and other fields that help manage data for use by the “saxsgui”. Keeping in line with the user interface guidelines of simple programs, I have eliminated the need for a “save” button. Whenever something is edited, a save is made.

There are still a few issues to figure out though, amongst others, the interface to the “saxsgui” is not completely functional, the preview images are a little on the dark side, backwards compatibility is untested, and there might be some sample naming issues (i.e. it only accepts unique filenames of the scattering patterns as input).

But all in all, I’m pretty content about it, and I hope it will be included in the next “saxsgui” release. You will be notified of this release as soon as it appears on the web.

As this is an open source program, any help is greatly appreciated. Why not contribute to the database or the saxsgui?

I am on holiday, these entries were generated in advance. I cannot respond to e-mail whilst abroad.

I know of a few repositories, where lots of old equipment is stored. Now I myself am quite the scavenger, poking my nose where I can. I can see much more-or-less abandoned stuff that, given a few modifications, might be useful for my project. I can imagine this to be the case for most of us.

The issue here is that the people know that the equipment belonged to someone, and then have lost contact, or do not know who the current “caretaker” is. Therefore the equipment is left to its own in a storeroom, doomed to be cleared out one day.

I am wondering whether such repositories of equipment could be put to a good use. There are two options available: the first is redistribution of the goods for profit or nonprofit, and the second is donation to a “good cause”.

When we look at the second option, whilst honorable, might not be such a good idea. Handing over old machinery to people that do not know how to set it up, maintain it, repair it and operate it is a recipe for disaster. This result might not reach the ear of the philanthropist, but is a foreseeable end.
Therefore, when machinery is “given” away to good causes, care should be taken that not only the equipment is sent, but also training and spare parts.

The first option might be more useful. A database could be set up with the available machinery in it. Then, people could draw lots for machinery, take care of the transportation of the stuff they require, and do the necessary modifications. The original owner could be acknowledged in any relevant publications that might follow and, most importantly, machinery would not be wasted unnecessarily. Such a scheme could even be combined with the philanthropical goal, when interested parties in not so wealthy establishments respond to the entries as well. There are, however, a few downsides to this path.

The first downside is that setting such a database up requires time. People at companies have to document the contents of their basements and attics, and most of all, have to find out whether it can be given away at all. Given that this time effort cannot possibly be considered as worthwhile in most cases (i.e. the company might not consider it a prime task of those involved), such efforts might have to be moved into free available time of those involved. This is, for most, a quite high barrier.

Another downside is that scrap dealers step in, get what is valuable and sell it at a price. Whenever money is to be got, these people appear. Thus, legal barriers have to be erected to prevent such abuse of the system, requiring time of the lawyer-ese speaking folk, and creating another barrier. The Creative Commons people have pulled it off for copyright, though, thus showing that it is not impossible.

Perhaps this appearance of the scrap dealers is to be commended, to have them flog what was yours. Somehow, it doesn’t feel right to have someone without any knowledge of the equipment and its history, take what they want, transport it in ways that will most likely break it, sell what they can on the market, and throw the rest away. I may sound like I do not hold them in high regard, and that may very well be true. There might be a few that will know the ins and outs of the equipment and can take better care of it. Perhaps these, if you can find them, are a much better option than Joe Scrap from the nearest town.

Philanthropy can go horribly wrong as well. I have heard a story of some medical equipment having been sent to a country in Africa. The machine arrived in parts, in separate boxes, with cable trunks sawn through and without documentation. Obviously a company decided to do well, dump old equipment by donating and go the cheap route by choosing the cheapest shipping company to pack and ship. The nearest garbage disposal might have been a better option.

All in all, it is highly unlikely that the current situation, with equipment rotting away in basements, is going to change for the better. But isn’t it just such a waste?