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05-04-2009
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Buy them a drink sometime...

Submitter: Madroon E.J.
Description: The vast majority of radio astronomers today still use one of the 2nd generation data reduction packages that were written in the Creative Decade after the invention of selfcal (~1980). This truly historic photograph, taken at the recent SKA calibration and imaging workshop in Socorro, brings together some of the venerable heroes that produced those packages. From right to left: Bill Cotton (63, AIPS), Eric Greisen (64, AIPS), Bob Sault (52, MIRIAD), Tim Cornwell (53, AIPS++) and Jan Noordam (61, NEWSTAR, AIPS++). Missing are Wim Brouw (67, NEWSTAR, AIPS++) and Martin Shepard (45, DIFMAP).

For all kinds of reasons, these packages (and their creators) have enjoyed an extraordinary longevity. And for all kinds of other reasons, the same greybeards still dominate the development of the 3rd generation software that will be needed for the new giant radio telescopes. Perhaps it is time for all those reasons to be analyzed and addressed, so that the tired dinosaurs may finally be put to honourable pasture. In the meantime, if you spot one of them, the least you can do is buy him a drink. You will be rewarded by incredible tales from the bygone days when software developers were free and wild and hungry and respected, and did not fill in time-sheets.
Copyright: George Moellenbrock
 
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