First of all I would like to congratulate both the developers and the
users for making a rather impressive application framework. It is in many
ways significantly better than anything I have seen to date for scientific
applications.
My applications involve large scale genetic data analysis. We have our
own mini-application framework and OO library base already, but I would like
to evaluate ROOT as a possible extension.
My questions:
1) What is the distribution policy for ROOT? Some of our applications
are commercially distributed (as per requirements of some of our
grants). They are substantially discounted (up to 75%) for academic
users and all but the source code is available to the users (all
algorithms, etc.)
2) Do the ROOT developers accept "contributed" code. If we use it then I
am sure enhancements, fixes and new functionality will be added
in-house, but it is always nice when they can be officially supported
so as to provide a more stable environment. Of course this is subject
to case-by-case approval by the developers, but some projects are more
responsive to this more than others.
3) Have there been any benchmarks relating non-application framework
programs to ROOT ported ones? On the ROOT web site there are several
tables, but none seem to provide an idea of the performance hit
endured by programs that use ROOT. (Please do not tell me that ROOT
makes special purpose software faster-- the only time this happens is
when the original program is shoddily written).
4) I would be interested to know if there are other genetic analysis,
statistical analysis, or molecular biology applications using ROOT.
If your comments are of general interest please reply to the mailing list; if
they are of a more specific nature please reply to me directly.
Many thanks,
Kevin Jacobs
-- -----------> Kevin Jacobs <-----------|-------> (216) 778-8487 <-------- S.A.G.E. Project Technical Coordinator | Department of Epidemiology & System Administrator | & Biostatistics Internet E-mail: jacobs@darwin.cwru.edu | Case Western Reserve University ----------------------------------------------------------------------------