Types of software

Applications

• "End-to-end" - encompass a whole proccess

• "Black boxes"

• Familiar to users

• There are many geoscience applications, often open ones

• We always need these!

  • Applications allow common software tasks to become routine
  • They are critical to exposure and usage from a broad spectrum of geoscientists

Modules

Modules are the building blocks of applications.

• Small/lightweight
• Smaller audience

Modules can be just as valuable as applications, if not more.

• Many modules from outside of geology
  • Many of these have seen significant contributions from geoscience
• Fewer from inside geology
• Changing this will be slow at first but will ultimately allow a flourishing of richer applications and platforms

Platforms

• Like applications, they are end-to-end
• Run centrally and usable from everywhere
• Composed of modules

Few platforms stand the test of time. And those that do are supported by large organizations. But they are often reconstituted and rebranded to emerge stronger over time.