A3. Unrestricted access¶
Whether the software lacks restrictions in terms of authorization and infrastructure/platform needed to use it.
Unrestricted access removes entry barriers and ensures that a wider audience can use the software without facing restrictive conditions or platform limitations.
Note
Although low restrictions make software more accessible, there are still cases where restrictions may be necessary. For example, some software may be designed to be used to handle sensitive data, and thus, it may be necessary to restrict access to the software to authorized users. In other cases, the software may be designed to work with a specific infrastructure or platform for the sake of reliability and/or performance.
A3.1. No Registration is required¶
What is being measured?¶
- Whether software can be used without registration
Why should we measure it?¶
- Eliminating mandatory registration enhances accessibility by allowing users to access and utilise the software anonymously, removing potential privacy concerns and lowering entry barriers.
How do we measure it?¶
- Not measured
Types it applies to¶
- all
Weight¶
- 0.0
A3.2. Availability of version for open-source operating system¶
What is being measured?¶
- Whether the software can be used in a free operating system.
Why should we measure it?¶
- Providing software versions for open-source operating systems removes economic barriers, making research software accessible to a broader audience who may not have the resources for costly proprietary systems.
How do we measure it?¶
- GNU/Linux among the compatible operating systems is considered valid.
Types it applies to¶
- non-web
Weight¶
- 0.25
A3.3. Availability for several operating systems¶
What is being measured?¶
- Whether there are versions of the software for several operative systems.
Why should we measure it?¶
- Supporting multiple operating systems makes the software more accessible to users with diverse needs, constraints, and preferences, especially in scenarios where specific hardware systems like clusters or supercomputers are required.
How do we measure it?¶
- The existence of software versions for at least two operating systems is considered valid.
Types it applies to¶
- non-web
Weight¶
- 0.25
A3.4. Availability through publicly available e-Infrastructures¶
What is being measured?¶
- Whether the software can be used through publicly available e-infrastructure.
Why should we measure it?¶
- Making software available on publicly available e-infrastructures removes significant barriers to use by providing computational resources accessible via a web browser, eliminating the need for local installation or infrastructure investment, thereby broadening accessibility to a wide range of users regardless of their technical or financial resources.
How do we measure it?¶
- A Galaxy public server or VRE (Virtual Research Environment) link is considered valid.
Types it applies to¶
- non-web
Weight¶
- 0.25
A3.5. Availability through several e-Infrastructures¶
What is being measured?¶
- Whether the software can be used in several e-infrastructure.
Why should we measure it?¶
- Users usually use e-infrastructures to build workflows. The e-infrastructure they choose to use, thus, depends on software being available in the same platform and other factors. The more e-infrastructures a software is available, the greater the likelihood a user will be able to use it.
How do we measure it?¶
- At least two Galaxy public server or VRE (Virtual Research Environment) links are considered valid.
Types it applies to¶
- non-web
Weight¶
- 0.25