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The scientific work is an extremely expensive venture. When an investigator does not have access to a good database has to pay for the literature and every scientific paper can cost between 20 and 40 dollars. Furthermore, when we consider that publications usually have at least 20 references, well, we can get an idea of how difficult it may prove to be an independent researcher. The prohibitive costs related to scientific research are an obstacle which may deter those wishing to create knowledge.
Why free scientific software necessary?
The cost of scientific Software is stratospheric . LISREL For example, one of the most used for the manufacture of structural equation modeling software, now costs US $ 495, and that is a single user license, see a program that can only be installed on a computer. On the other hand, Atlas Ti, the analysis tool qualitative data most used in the world, charges $ 670 for a single license, at least with this program, if you can prove that you are a student at a university, they can ” sell “the software for $ 99, only this license lasts two years
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The problems this presents for academic work are enormous, for example, in countries where universities have a limited budget, researchers must resort to old and outdated literature, which greatly decreases the likelihood that they are published, or made programs and references through piracy. For some scientists research industry is a money generating machine that excludes and exploits the researcher . For example Michael Eisen, one of the great molecular biologists of our time, has criticized time and again as the industry controls science journals earn similar amounts of money when: 1) research and 2) the editorial work is done by own scientists without earning a hard . In fact, some journals charge a fee to send the publication, which of course is no guarantee that the work appear in the magazine.
The Open Science Project
It is no coincidence that there has been a disproportionate increase in what is known as Open Science in the last 5 years; ie the absolute openness of the scientific enterprise, and more specifically the Open Access , the notion that the tools for scientific development and scientific publications should be accessible to anyone in the world. It is the philosophy of open source led to knowledge and laboratory.
It is under this premise that has produced famous project for free scientific software such as the organization Open Science Project , which groups several life scientists has been devoted to the development and introduction of software for data analysis, simulations and models. You can find many different programs, ordered on their website by scientific disciplines, and although there is a clear preference for microbiology, aeronautics and computer science, there are also sections of anthropology, forensic science and a section on tools, very useful program for any researcher it is engaged in quantitative work.
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Project Open Sciencie may find the sowftware statistical R , a language and environment for work and statistical analysis. Another tool available is My Experiment , a database where researchers from around the world can share their experimental designs so others can see them and use them in their work. Also, you can use the Sim Agent, an environment for modeling intelligent agents (artificial intelligence) that allows the sociologist or psychologist to make virtual models to analyze phenomena that can not reproduce in the laboratory or that are difficult to study . field
Of course, many of these programs open access are quite complex and require not only knowledge in the area but some knowledge of programming; however, if you’re a fan of science, a student in the middle of their careers or researcher interested in finding new tools not forget to stop by Open Science Project and see what they can offer.
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