Useful Offline Computing and Software Documents

  The principal means for documentation in STAR Offline Computing and Software is by way of the world wide web, e-mail listservers and STAR technical papers or STAR Notes. Many documents are available which pertain to Computing and Software. Several of these have already been mentioned in the preceding text. These references, plus several others which are the most relevant to newcomers in STAR offline computing, are summarized here. Unfortunately, not all STAR offline computing documentation is complete and up-to-date. It is the responsibility of everyone in the collaboration to make their documents accurate, current and relevant. Al Saulys, at BNL, is STAR's ``web servant,'' which means that Al facilitates the collaboration's use of the web and various software tools and procedures for producing documentation. It is not his job to act as the STAR web master, web proofreader, web quality assurance officer, etc. These duties must be provided by each contributor to STAR computing.

Some helpful STAR offline computing and software web pages:

Start from the STAR Home page and select the following:

How to            >  Getting Started (General RHIC and STAR Computing
                     Environment)
                  >  Tutorials
                  >  Document Submission (Styles and Procedures)
                  >  Software code package authorization (for new PKGs)

Computing         >  Offline Software  > STAR Software Library in CVS
                                       > Tutorials, Help, Training
                                       > Packages - ana,sim,sys,...
                                       > Design and Development (Design 
                                         document, DST design, PAM coding
                                         standards, rules, CVS, html, ...)
                  >  Software Infrastructure > STAF
                  >  Help
                  >  Mock Data Challenge
                  >  Tasks (Lists of computing and software tasks to be done
                     in offline simulations, reconstruction, infrastructure
                     and online)

General Documents > STAR Notes (STAR Technical Reports)

Group Documents   >  TPC   >  Software (example STAF executable and kumacs
                              for fast and slow simulation/tracking; laser
                              and cosmic ray data analysis)
                  >  SVT   >  Software
                  >  FTPC  >  Software
                  >  TRG   >  Software, Simulations
                  >  Global (global event reconstruction).

Email list server archives for technical discussions and announcements that are particularly relevant for offline computing and software are the following:

e-mail archives   >  SAS (offline software development, simulations)
                  >  SOFI (infrastructure development and issues)
                  >  SOFT (general STAR computing and software issues,
                          announcements)
                  >  SIMU (STAR Simulations group)
                  >  SVT-SOFT (SVT offline software development and
                          simulations)
                  >  Global (global event reconstruction)
                  >  Track (general STAR tracking issues)

Collaborators new to STAR offline computing and software are urged to read through the Task List and contact the appropriate software leader about your interests.