Software Tools Minutes
                            ======================
                                Jan. 23, 1997

Present: Stu Fuess, Herb Greenlee, John Hobbs, Al Jonchkeere, Qizhong Li, 
         Lee Lueking, Jerry O'Connell, Laura Paterno, Serban Protopopescu,
         Roy Thatcher

Scribe: Qizhong Li

Qizhong anounced that the meeting time is changed to Thursday 1:30-3:00pm 
at Doghouse. We will try to have our meeting biweekly.

Roy Thatcher: - Script language recommendation -

     . After we have presented the script language recommendation at the
       Run II  Software  Workshop, more  feedbacks make us  feel that we
       have made  right  recommendations on  using Python  as the script
       language for D0.

     . The training classes  will be arranged on  site may be around the
       end of February or beginning of  the March. We would like to have
       more users to use Python, not  only in D0, also people from other
       experiments at Fermilab. 

     . Fritz has  installed  Python  interpreter on  D0chb. The Tutorial
       examples   are  available  too.  There  are   documents,  "Python
       Reference Manual", "Python Quick Reference" and etc on D0chb. 

     . Python has  its debugger  too. Emacs  editor has  Python language
       sensitity.

Alan Jonckheere: - Code Management Status -

     . Cygus' CYGWIN32  V17.1 installed on  D0SERVER1. This product is a
       free implementation of, basicly, a GUN UNIX emulator for NT.

     . Alan has started a  Code management Web  page, independent of the
       Software Tools Group Page. It  will contain all of the links that
       are  currently on  the software  tools  page, plus  more detailed
       information from the CD/D0/CDF combined group, Babar, etc. At the
       moment it contains: 
          - a link to a setup of the Cygwin32 tools 
          - a link to simple  example "test"  release session  on unix. 
       The url address is: 
                http://www-d0.fnal.gov/software/cmgt/cmgt.html

     . Then we discussed about how to get people using the system (cvs).
       Some people  suggested to  schedule  tutorials.  Alan has written
       documents  on  how  to use  CVS in  D0 (it  can  be  found on the
       Software Tools  page),  but so far Alan  has gotten zero feedback
       on them.

     . Alan also pointed out that no additional layers are needed to add
       on  the top of the Babar release Tools.

We  discussed  about the  Web page   management.  Alan  pointed out that
WebMeister is needed badly. In our recommendation about document/news we
recommended  that  we use  the Web  to  publish our   documents. We also
recommended that  a "full time"  webweister be  appointed. The first has
happened.  The second  hasn't. The  Web pages  are getting  to be a real
mess. Many links are  not updated (for example,  many D0notes can not be
accessed because of changing file  location without updating the related
links.) Roy Thatcher volunteered to  collect all the problems, complains
and suggestions for the  D0 web pages, so that  we can pass it to the D0
WebMeister if D0 management will point someone to be the WebMeister.

We  also  discussed  that  no  response  from D0   management  after our
recommenmdations. Some  recommendations requests involving manpower, but
nothing happens.

Lee lueking and Jerry O'Connell: -Experiences with Objectivity database-

    . We have 60 days  licence to test  Objectivity database, start from
      mid of December,  1996. It is possible to  extend the test licence
      period.

    . Jerry  and Lee  have  tried the   Objectivity  database.  It is on
      D0sgi3. It runs fine with local  disks only. It does not work with
      any    automounted/nfs  disks.  Lee  feels  disappointed  with the
      examples provided by  Objectivity: too  simple. The administration
      menu is good.

    . The database subgroup's goal is  to import the Production Database
      to Objectivity database, then  compare the access with the current
      one.