NeXus workshop

[Ray Osborn]

I've wanted to organize a workshop for the whole NeXus community to sort out
instrument definitions etc.  However, that will take a while to organize,
since we should set up subgroups before then (probably six months or so).
Tom Worlton thinks we should hold something sooner because SNS are keen to
get going with NeXus but want the HDF5 and other issues resolved.

Consequently, I would like to suggest that we hold two workshops: a small
one in early September to be held here at Argonne and a larger one to be
held early next year somewhere in Europe.

The first one will be a working workshop to resolve a number of issues:

1) Are there any problems with the current design (e.g. with defining axes,
linking to other groups, finding those groups)?
2) When to we convert to HDF5?
3) How do we convert to HDF5 (i.e. what are the design issues)?
4) Do we provide a java version of the API and how?
5) Is there a role for XML?
6) Are there other tools we should integrate into the standard distribution
(data servers, visualization tools, enhanced API)

Please let me know if you are available in the first two weeks of September
(Mark is not after Sept. 18), whether you can come, and whether you would
need financial assistance to come (no guarantees at this stage but we might
be able to get some SNS support).  The workshop would only involve us i.e.
those on the NAPI list and perhaps a few others who are keen (will Mark have
his post-doc by then?).  We should also see if Los Alamos and ILL want to be
represented.  Of course SNS, APS and IPNS people will be here anyway.

The second one would be to get the involvement of the wider community,
especially the instrument scientists who write some software, who are not
well-represented on NAPI.  This would be to resolve instrument definitions,
administrative issues (how we maintain the standard etc.).  I will ask Mike
Johnson if there is any chance of XENNI funding for this workshop.  It might
even be possible to make it a joint XENNI/SNS workshop.

Are any of you keen to host the European workshop?  PSI, ILL, or ISIS would
all make good choices.  We can probably make a final decision at the first
workshop.

Please let me know as soon as you can about the first workshop.

Ray
-- 
Dr Ray Osborn                Tel: +1 (630) 252-9011
Materials Science Division   Fax: +1 (630) 252-7777
Argonne National Laboratory  E-mail: ROsborn at anl.gov
Argonne, IL 60439-4845