EECS Publication
Twenty-Plus Years of Netlib and NA-Net
Jack Dongarra, Gene Golub, Eric Grosse, Cleve Moler, and Keith Moore
The Netlib software repository was created in 1984 to facilitate quick distribution of public domain software routines for use in scientific computation. The Numerical Analysis Net (NA Net) had its roots in the same period, beginning as a simple file of contact information for numerical analysts and evolving into an email forwarding service for that community. It soon evolved to support a regular electronic mail newsletter, and eventually an online directory service. Both of these services are still in operation and enjoy wide use today. While they are and always have been distinct services, Netlib and NA-Net's histories are intertwined. This document examines the histories of both Netlib and NA-Net and their impact on their user communities.
Published 2006-01-01 05:00:00 as ut-cs-06-573 (ID:131)