GAMS: a framework for the management of scientific software

ABSTRACT

The Guide to Available Mathematical Software (GAMS) provides a framework for both a scientist-end-user and a librarian-maintainer to deal with large quantities of mathematical and statistical software. This framework includes a classification scheme for mathematical and statistical software, a database system to manage information about this software, and both an on-line interactive consulting system and a printed catalog for providing users with access to this information. A description is given of GAMS and its use at the National Bureau of Standards.

REFERENCES

• 1: THE SCIENTIFIC DESK. C. Abaci, Inc., Raleigh, N.C., 1984.
• 2: BATZ, J. C., COHEN, P. M., REDWINE, S. T., AND RICE, J. R. The application-specific task area. IEEE Comput. 16, 11 (Nov. 1983), 78-85.
• 3: BCS RIM--RELATIONAL INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, VERSION 5.1 USER GUIDE. Boeing Computer Services Co., Vienna, Va., 1982.
• 4: Ronald F. Boisvert , Sally E. Howe , David K. Kahaner, The GAMS classification scheme for mathematical and statistical software, ACM SIGNUM Newsletter, v.18 n.1, p.10-18, January 1983 [doi>10.1145/1057600.1057601]
• 5: BOISVERT, R. F., HOWE, S. E., AND KAHANER, D. K. The guide to available mathematical software. PB 84-171305, National Technical Information Service (NTIS), Springfield, Va., Feb. 1984.
• 6: John Bolstad, A proposed classification scheme for computer program libraries, ACM SIGNUM Newsletter, v.10 n.2-3, p.32-39, November 1975 [doi>10.1145/1053197.1053198]
• 7: BUZBEE, B. L. The SLATEC common mathematical library. In Sources and Development of Mathematical Software, W. Cowell, Ed. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J., 1984, pp. 302-320.
• 8: Donald D. Chamberlin, Relational Data-Base Management Systems, ACM Computing Surveys (CSUR), v.8 n.1, p.43-66, March 1976 [doi>10.1145/356662.356665]
• 9: Wayne R. Cowell, Sources and development of mathematical software, Prentice-Hall, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ, 1984
• 10: DATAPRO DIRECTORY OF SOFTWARE. Datapro Research Corp., Delran, N.J., 1984.
• 11: DONGARRA, J. J., MOLER, C. B., BUNCH, J. R., AND STEWART, G.W. LINPACK User's Guide, SIAM, Philadelphia, Pa., 1979.
• 12: FONG, K., JEFFERSON, T. H., AND SUYEHIRO, T. SLATEC Common Math Library Source File Format. Rep. UCRL-53313 Lawrence Livermore Lab., Livermore, Calif., 1982.
• 13: Ivor Francis, Statistical software: a comparative review, Elsevier North-Holland, Inc., New York, NY, 1981
• 14: P. W. Gaffney , J. W. Wooter , K. A. Kessel , W. R. McKinney, NITPACK: An Interactive Tree Package, ACM Transactions on Mathematical Software (TOMS), v.9 n.4, p.395-417, Dec. 1983 [doi>10.1145/356056.356058]
• 15: HAZEL, P., AND O'DONOHUE, M.R. HELP numerical: The Cambridge interactive documentation system for numerical methods. In Production and Assessment of Numerical Software, M. A. Hennell and L. M. Delves, Eds. Academic Press, London, 1980, pp. 367-382.
• 16: Donald Ervin Knuth, TEX and METAFONT: New directions in typesetting, American Mathematical Society, Boston, MA, 1979
• 17: LINDELOF, T. Maintenance of the CERN program library in a multicomputer environment. In Production and Assessment of Numerical Software, M. A. Hennell and L. M. Delves, Eds. Academic Press, London, 1980, pp. 323-366.
• 18: Paul Messina, Guidelines for managing mathematical software libraries at computer centers, Problems and Methodologies in Mathematical Software Production, International Seminar, p.207-253, November 03-08, 1980
• 19: RESEARCH CORPORATION/RESEARCH SOFTWARE SOFTWARE CATALOG. Research Corporation, Tucson, Ariz. 1984.
• 20: RYAN, T. A., JOINER, B. L., AND RYAN, B. F. Minitab reference manual. Minitab Project, University Park, Pa., 1982.
• 21: SHARE REFERENCE MANUAL, 1963.
• 22: SHARE REFERENCE MANUAL, 1973.
• 23: SPERRY UNIVAC SERIES 1100. Conversational Time Sharing (CTS) System Level 8RI, Programmer Reference. Sperry Univac, St. Paul, Minn., 1981.
• 24: W. H. Vandevender , K. H. Haskell, The SLATEC mathematical subroutine library, ACM SIGNUM Newsletter, v.17 n.3, p.16-21, September 1982 [doi>10.1145/1057594.1057595]

INDEX TERMS

Classification:
  D. Software
  D.2 SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
      D.2.7 Distribution, Maintenance, and Enhancement
          Subjects: Documentation

  G. Mathematics of Computing
  G.3 PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS
      Subjects: Statistical software
  G.4 MATHEMATICAL SOFTWARE

      Nouns: GAMS

  H. Information Systems
  H.3 INFORMATION STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL

General Terms:
Documentation, Human Factors, Management