Open Source in Astronomy

Posted by Cheng Soon Ong on June 4, 2009

It seems that researchers in astronomy have also realised the benefits of open source. A group of scientists have published a manifesto which has the same views as the position paper published by machine learners. From the abstract of the astronomers' statement:

We advocate that:

1. the astronomical community consider software as an integral and fundable part of facility construction and science programs;
2. that software release be considered as integral to the open and reproducible scientific process as are publication and data release;
3. that we adopt technologies and repositories for releasing and collaboration on software that have worked for open-source software;
4. that we seek structural incentives to make the release of software and related publications easier for scientist-authors;
5. that we consider new ways of funding the development of grass-roots software;
6. and that we rethink our values to acknowledge that astronomical software development is not just a technical endeavor, but a fundamental part of our scientific practice.

Now isn't that cool?