Open-Source Software in the Sciences: The Challenge of User Support
This study examines user support issues concerning open-source software in computational sciences. The literature suggests that there are three main problem areas: transparency, learnability, and usability. Looking at questions asked in user communities for chemistry software projects, the author fo...
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| Veröffentlicht in: | Journal of business and technical communication 2019-01, Vol.33 (1), p.60-90 |
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| container_title | Journal of business and technical communication |
| container_volume | 33 |
| creator | Swarts, Jason |
| description | This study examines user support issues concerning open-source software in computational sciences. The literature suggests that there are three main problem areas: transparency, learnability, and usability. Looking at questions asked in user communities for chemistry software projects, the author found that for software supported by feature-based documentation, problems of transparency and learnability are prominent, leading users to have difficulty reconciling disciplinary practices and values with software operations. For software supported by task-based documentation, usability problems were more prominent. The author considers the implications of this study for user support and the role that technical communication could play in developing and supporting open-source projects. |
| doi_str_mv | 10.1177/1050651918780202 |
| format | Article |
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| fulltext | fulltext |
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| ispartof | Journal of business and technical communication, 2019-01, Vol.33 (1), p.60-90 |
| issn | 1050-6519 1552-4574 |
| language | eng |
| recordid | cdi_proquest_journals_2136325522 |
| source | SAGE Complete A-Z List |
| subjects | Open source software Public domain Usability User services |
| title | Open-Source Software in the Sciences: The Challenge of User Support |
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