[AG-TECH] Fading AG usage?

Jason Bell j.bell at cqu.edu.au
Mon Jan 15 23:01:46 CST 2007


G'day Derek and All

I have been meaning to reply to this email for some time now, but have
been caught up with a number of things.

Firstly, I must concur with most of the other comments in regards that
for my perspective, AG usage is increasing.

If I may voice my opinion, I thought I would provide some perspective
from my Australian point of view and also from a QA and install guide
perspective as well.

*	A point of note that occurs to me is that the AG is no longer
considered a TOY or a research experiment, rather than a tool that gets
used in a production environment, hence people no longer "play" with the
technology, rather they implement and use it..

*	Secondly, I know of a number of research groups who are funding
within Australia their own Access Grids (10+ sites) for the sole purpose
of research, teaching and collaboration.

*	Thirdly, I am seeing an increase in the number of collaborative
teaching's across multiple institution.  (Example, we have 2 classes a
term for a particulate cross institution subject.)

*	I would also say that a number of sites no longer regularly sit
in a Venue's Lobby (Hence the possible belief that people are no longer
using it), rather they are in regular sessions, or have formed their own
niche or internal groups and have become less visible.  A simple example
that I am seeing, is a number of internal AG's purposely build for a
single institution.

*	On a QA perspective, I have had a number of emails informing me
that they are in the process of building a number of sites and are
interested in the QA process.
	
*	I have also seen institutions that have had an AG for a number
of years, building additional ones, which giving the institution has had
previous experience, doesn't advertise the fact.


Overall I would say the use of the AG is ever increasing, but it is no
longer a global group, but rather AG users have began splitting up into
their own niche groups for a variety of purposes.

Anyway, that's just my 2 cents worth.

Cheers,
Jason.

As a side note, I think these issues are making it ever more important
to have a single location for AG related topics, ie accessgrid.org.  As
the AG community begins to diversify and begin forming there own
internal groups...  It is ever more important in my opinion for a single
point of contact for AG related topics.


-----Original Message-----
From: Derek Piper [mailto:dcpiper at indiana.edu] 
Sent: Friday, 5 January 2007 5:25 AM
To: ag-tech at mcs.anl.gov
Subject: [AG-TECH] Fading AG usage?


	Hi all,

	I've been part of the AG community for a while now, nearly 3
years and 
over that time I've not seen a lot of growth in the number of sites that

we interface with for AccessGrid meetings. Quite oppositely I have seen 
sites that were good AG participants fall into 'disrepair' through lack 
of funding and site expertise.
	A bit of a devil's advocate question, but is AccessGrid usage 
declining? Is AccessGrid on the way out? I've seen people turn to things

such as Polycom for meetings rather than have AccessGrid meetings.
	I'm curious to learn of other points of view on this.

	Derek

-- 
Derek Piper - dcpiper at indiana.edu - (812) 856 0111
IRI 323, School of Informatics
Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana

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