Bug#361418: Debian menu and the Apps/Science section
Hello,
On Sun, 2006-05-14 at 22:26, Daniel Leidert wrote:
> Am Sonntag, den 14.05.2006, 21:55 +0200 schrieb Thomas Walter:
> > On Sun, 2006-05-14 at 20:52, Daniel Leidert wrote:
>
> [..]
> > > > In general, my understanding of "Science" is in the sense of research
> > > > and not education.
> > >
> > > I do not agree. Education also means science. It doesn't just mean
> > > "teaching". For me, there is no difference between Science and
> > > Education. Where is the difference IYO?
> > >
> >
> > Exactly this is the key:
> >
> > Education: teaching
> > you are teached/trained to be able to do something
> > or to teach others
> > improve individual wisdom/skills.
> >
> > Science: research
> > you apply the above to find something new.
> > improve the global pool of wisdom.
>
> I know that opinion of course. But "education" with the meaning of
> "higher education" isn't that far away from "science". I know, people
> have different opinions here. Just a few questions:
>
> Where do you make the difference between a scientific and an educational
> software product? Let's say: What is a chemical structures editor? What
> is a (software realized) calculator with scientific functions (like
> those who are mostly used in education)?
>
As far as I understood the basic rules to tag applications,
the answer is not a "one ot the other" decision.
The chemical structureditor can be used for both purposes.
Thus add the application in 2 entries of the tree.
A "calculator" is a common tool used in nearly all categories.
Such a global tool covers a few percent from lots of categories.
Thus, this a candidate to go into a section like
Science
Common or Global or Misc
or
Science
Math
Calculator
and
Education
Math
Calculator
compared with a tool like axiom, which would go in "Science -> Math"
only.
Due to my opinion, that when doing Science Research you know the basics
where in Teaching/Education you have more applications which tell you
about the basics.
The latter is like:
how to do integration or differentiation, waht are Newton's rules in
gravity
the first is like:
when I apply several of the basic rules to these measurements under
given constraints
then one can proof the existance of a sub-particle for a few nano
seconds in nuclear physics.
> Just think about, that you _must_ define the answer for at least the
> first question if you make a difference in Debian's menu between
> education and science. I'm really not happy with dividing between them,
> because IMHO there is no clear difference.
>
I know that may be tricky and you are right.
That's why I try to separate by learning/teaching already known basics
:== Education and applying that find (new) rules or to improve exising
rules :== Science/Research by top-down classification going from most
global/abstract to more specific/specialised.
For example. lots of math aplications one can use in physics, chemistry,
bio, astronomy, ... too as compuatation is very common. The tricky
point may be to find an abstraction.
An application knowing all the keppler rules where you can focus on high
level astronomical things would be category Astronomy. But you can use
a programmable common language and add lots of functions as addional
modules. Without the modules is would be Math.
Kind Regards,
Thomas
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