Help:FAQ

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ's)

Can’t you find the answer to your question? Feel free to send an email to CSDMS@colorado.edu and put your FAQ in. CSDMS will try to answer within a week but please make sure that the question you’re asking is unique and CSDMS related.

1. What is CSDMS?
   CSDMS stands for Community Surface Dynamics Modeling System. We are a diverse community of experts promoting the modeling of earth surface processes by developing, supporting, and disseminating integrated software modules that predict the erosion, transport, and deposition of sediment and solutes in landscapes and their sedimentary basins. Read more...
2. Is there another effort like the CSDMS in the world?
   No, but there is a lot of modeling effort in the world and we try to get them onboard. CSDMS is willing to work closely together with the European / world community to build an integrated community.
3. Is CSDMS a Community Clastic Model?
   No, it is a modeling community supporting a modeling architecture (not an uber model). It deals with hydrology, nutrients, sediment (incl. carbonates), ecosystems, glaciers, oceanography, weather, etc --- earth-surface dynamics. CSDMS protocols allow for model components to be mixed in unique ways to answer diverse question. CSDMS is interested in stand-alone models and compliant contributions.
4. How do I become a member of one of the working groups?
   Simple follow this link and sign up join a working group.
5. How often are the working groups getting together?
   Each working group will get together at least once a year. The rest of their activity will be done through remote communication systems (See bottom of this page).
6. How do I benefit for becoming a member of CSDMS / working groups?
   There are many ways that you benefit as you become a member. Most important of all is that you will become part of a family of experts that share their research. They will share their latest knowledge on Earth Sciences like you can share your knowledge. Read more about.
7. Where can I upload my model, to make it available to the community?
   First, fill out the model questionnaire. CSDMS will create special website of your model were you yourself can upload your model, start a discussion page or create a page that explains some of the routines of your model. Have a look on one of the model pages that is hosted now by CSDMS Models page.
8. What are the funding opportunities?
   Competitive --- but:
   1. supported by a state-of-the-art research agenda developed by an integrated community;
   2. supported by a community of modelers & software engineers;
   3. access to a sophisticated modeling architecture, data systems, and high performance computing;
   4. CSDMS opportunities with NGO’s, agencies, industry partners.
9. How do you cross the bridge to provide models for free instead of that you need to buy into working with certain models?
   CSDMS tries to change the culture, by more working together as a community. Same happened for the climate community which resulted in a better funding. Working together will make the community more effective, less duplication of work and all models will be open.
10. I’m afraid to give my source code away. Can you alleviate my fears?
    It’s ok to be afraid. It can be a scary thing to publish your code for all to see. Some things to remember: it is a way to advertise your code; your license will ensure that your name will stay with the code; most importantly, your model will be better for it. You get credit for your work by make it public. We’re working in the public domain so the research should be public as well. Since you’re the most experienced user, you are probably also the best person to do a simulation. So people might start to collaborate with you for proposals.
11. How do I keep track of different versions of my model?
    We encourage model owners to use some form of version control, like Subversion (SVN). If you are unable or just don’t want to host such a server, there are lots of options. Perhaps the best solution is for model owners to create a sourceforge or googlecode project. These sites provide subversion hosting as well as many other useful tools for managing a modeling project. If you don’t want to do this, CSDMS can also store your model in its subversion repository.
12. Whoa there! I don’t want just anyone making changes to my model!
    If you like, you can allow only a small group of people to have permission to commit changes to you code. If someone makes an unwanted change, you can easily rollback to a previous version.
13. What is my responsibility after submitting my model?
    The owner of the model stays owner of their own model. CSMDS is providing the possibility to store and make it available to the community. Once the code is available for the community, other people could, dependent of your model license, add or change the code and create a new version if desired, but the original owner should always be recognized. By proving code, the owner is more or less responsible to answer possible questions that could race, or fix bugs if that’s necessary but the nice thing about the CSDMS website is that other people could also answer questions or fix the bugs if they want.
14. How can I make sure that I’m not overloaded with questions?
    By making your model available on the CSDMS web site, other users of your module can also answer questions or fix bugs; remember, this is a WIKI, anybody that is log in can reply to questions on the model pages. And, once a question is asked and answered on the model website, you needn’t answer it again and again.
15. But if I give my model to the community, they’ll find bugs!
    Not really a question. Yes, they will. This is a good thing. Sometimes you will be able to fix them. Sometimes the community will fix them for you. Sometimes they will go unfixed. Users would rather a bug be identified and not fixed than not be identified in the first place. Don’t worry, users understand that you are busy and can’t get to every bug immediately (if at all).