Re: slightly off-topic: support open source for publically-fundedresearch

[pauljohn]

Alex Lancaster wrote:
> 
> But, on balance, I think the goal of making it the "default" mode for
> software developed by public money for scientific purposes (rather
> than the existing "default" that it be closed or proprietary) is a
> laudable one.

I agree.  My experience digging into the artificial stock market
is that, when you have access to somebody's code, it is a great
learning experience for everybody, professors and students
alike.  

I just got a note from Social Science Computer Review that they
are going to print an essay I did about that experience,
"Agent-based Modeling: What I learned from the Artificial Stock
Market".  I don't think there is anything in there that will
surprise Swarm users, but to the general social science
audience, it is a surprising, exhilirating notion that someone
can make the code for a project open for all to investigate and
hack at.  I have html and pdf versions at
http://lark.cc.ukans.edu/~pauljohn/ResearchPapers/ASM01/.  I was
testing out the StarOffice 6 when I wrote that and it has the
interesting feature that the fonts are weird and so the pdf does
not show dashes on some system, but otherwise it is OK.  In the
future, I'm sticking with LyX for document preparation, at least
I'm sure I can get stuff out of that!

-- 
Paul E. Johnson                       email: address@hidden
Dept. of Political Science           
http://lark.cc.ukans.edu/~pauljohn
University of Kansas                  Office: (785) 864-9086
Lawrence, Kansas 66045                FAX: (785) 864-5700


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