Re: Open source? -> Need to read source to model?

[Docgca]

Dear List,

If I may, I would like to weigh into this thread as someone who is not a 
trained programmer but is interested in using the analytic approach offered by 
SWARM.  It appears to me that the current course of SWARM development is 
directed at two different groups which may seem to have (at first glance) 
separate goals.  This first group consists of people who are facile computer 
usres/programmers. To this observer, this group seems to be the large majority 
of the SWARM community (at least based on the activity and content on the 
SwarmLists).  The open source nature of SWARM seems to be an important part of 
actually writing/debugging/analysing the programs used to create the models 
(but this is an opinion derived from reading the comments of the List members; 
selection bias may be present).  Even I, who cannot really follow the content 
of the threads, can see the vital importance of having people like Marcus, 
Benedik, Glen, Paul (et al.) available to answer questions about actually w!
riting and running the programs.  I have no doubt that the Lists, and SDG will 
continue there excellent function in answering this need.
  I, however, belong in the second group of people that should (need to?) be 
targeted by SDG.  We are specialists in a variety of fields who have "stumbled" 
upon a really new and exciting way (to our respective communities) of looking 
at problems, but have no background (or even prior interest) in programming.  
There are going to be some people, like Paul Johnson, who will be able to 
become integrated into the programming aspect of SWARM simlulations.  However, 
I suspect the majority of people are like me; they may not have the skills, 
time or inclination to train themselves as programmers in order to use what 
they percieve to be a "tool."  And, as has been stated before on the List, that 
is the avenue to wider interest, greater applications and more funding.  
    So what do people like me need from SDG?  We need a way to speak to you in 
a common language, to translate our problems into terms that you can use, and 
more importantly, understand the what you need in order to start the modeling 
process. My experience has suggested that there are fundamental differences 
between how computer programmers/modelers and non-computer people think.  Along 
those lines, I think that things like (for me) StarLogo are very important; it 
gets one thinking in Agent-based mode.  How does SWARM fit in?  Its the paradox 
mentioned by Marcus; the power of SWARM lies in its flexibilty, but so too does 
its difficulty (at least for me). 
    It seems to me that there are "clusters" of tools that seem to be have 
applicability across different disciplines.  I understand the danger of fitting 
your soultion to your tools, but isn't there some basic commonality to the 
agent-based approach anyway?
    I think that actually this List (Swarm-modelling) provides the venue for 
addressing people like me.  The Swarm-support list is way too intimidating for 
a novice, and I for one looked initially to this list for some introduction and 
guidance to the agentbased approach.  If perhaps a more lay-person oriented 
intro to this list could be placed in either the web-site, or autosent when 
some one subscribes, it would help a newcomer.  As I stated at the CAS 
conference in Chicago last Fall, I think the future of this approach is in 
collaboration (like Lang and Railsbach talked about at last SwarmFest).  
     To end this overly long email, I would just like to say to any "silent 
listeners" sitting on this List waiting for an "in" that my interactions with 
the modeling community have been characterized by a great deal of receptiveness 
and helpfulness, and if you have ideas about what you want to do, you should 
voice them on this list and open a dialogue.

Gary An, MD
Department of Trauma
Cook County Hospital
Chicago, IL

"Wake up Neo"    


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