[Users] meeting minutes for 2017-10-23

[Roland Haas]

Present: Chris, Eloisa, Erik, Helvi, Ian, Sam, Roland, Yosef, Bill,
Gabrielle

NixOS:
* package manager for Cactus
* works a bit different from eg dpkg or rpm package manager instead it
  is geared towards the user that installs packages
* allows sub-projects with different sets of packages (like modules)
  which can roll back previous OS
* can be used on Supercomputers and laptops. Erik tried on Ubuntu and
  OSX where things seems to work mostly fine. Works with
  pseudo-packages for intel compilers. Still some issues. Has currently
  growing set of packages (10s of thousands).
* needs some polishing to make fully usable
* Erik will push a number of scripts into the CactusUtils scripts
  directory
* Erik will give a hands-on presentation next week if there is time
* NixOS aims at reproducibility by beginning to install specific
  versions of compilers so everything should be portable
* link is: https://docs.einsteintoolkit.org/et-docs/meeting_agenda

Youtube channel:
* currently have a couple of playlists from schools and past workshops
* please have a look to make sure eg you like the playlist title
* want to promote this on the ET website
* https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8IObWZ7_wEbWnbIKVIQRYQ
* currently have playlist by institution, suggestion to also have some
  per type of object
* can likely have "feature" videos that are shown more prominently
* suggest sending submission of videos to
  maintainers at einsteintoolkit.org or users at einsteintoolkit.org
* incorporate youtube video into cycler

Help optimization from BSC:
* https://pop-coe.eu/services
* PRACE offers code optimization services, and since Helvi has a large
  PRACE grant this may be something to take advantage of
* Gabrielle mentioned that NCSA has connections to NAG for optimization
  as well
* would be good to have a EU counterpart to the efforts in Canada and
  the US, also in connection Cost Action
* what works best if there is a particular science driver or interest
  is behind it so that one has a usage case that one wants to optimize
* if linked to Helvi's science project would be linked to her science
  goal
** multiple issues affect optimization
** different for for deep AMR runs and wide shallow runs
* suggest to have a phone call between ET person(s) and center. Needs
  to have commitment of time by center as well.
* Ian would be interested, Helvi would be interested, Erik would be
  interested
* suggest having a common machine to test things on (Marenostrum)
* BSC is part of JLESC which includes NCSA, Roland to find out what is
  involved
* good project for optimization working group

ET "starting body" for new users 
* reduce barriers for new users to get involved
* email list suggestion was for "buddy" system to pair a new user with
  a more experienced user
* had "virtual office hours" in the past that were however not very
  well attended
* to revive suggest some sign up procedure
* make sure that the barrier is low and that there is no perception of
  people being inapproachable.
* announce conference attendance eg on ET website and/or facebook page
* action item: link "news" and/or other changing page on starting page
  to document that we are not yet dead. Add facebook page and twitter
  feed to news page
* action item: added new users to education and communication working
  group
* action item: NCSA post communication (undergraduate level) position 

Next week:
* ET EU workshop post-workshop discussion. Material is here:
https://docs.einsteintoolkit.org/et-docs/meeting_agenda#2017-10-23

Yours,
Roland
-- 
My email is as private as my paper mail. I therefore support encrypting
and signing email messages. Get my PGP key from http://pgp.mit.edu .
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