Comments on: What can medical research learn from the open source software movement? http://bacteriality.com/2007/12/11/opensource/ Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:26:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Tim http://bacteriality.com/2007/12/11/opensource/#comment-1619 Tim Mon, 04 Feb 2008 21:44:03 +0000 http://bacteriality.com/2007/12/11/opensource/#comment-1619 While the Open Source analogy is not without merit, I think what is being called for here is real science; a process similar to evolution itself. Trial hypotheses are tested and those that best explain some phenomenon are retained while those lacking in explanatory power are discarded. If science were conducted like that, then the infection hypothesis would be given an opportunity to fail like any other hypothesis. While the Open Source analogy is not without merit, I think what is being called for here is real science; a process similar to evolution itself. Trial hypotheses are tested and those that best explain some phenomenon are retained while those lacking in explanatory power are discarded. If science were conducted like that, then the infection hypothesis would be given an opportunity to fail like any other hypothesis.

]]> By: Joy http://bacteriality.com/2007/12/11/opensource/#comment-1370 Joy Fri, 18 Jan 2008 01:11:04 +0000 http://bacteriality.com/2007/12/11/opensource/#comment-1370 I can't understand why this amazingly good piece of work by Paul Albert hasn't been picked up for publication in other venues yet! After 20+ years in the software development business, my greatest lesson learned is that nobody cares to learn lessons from their own recent tendencies to make the same coding errors over and over, let alone learn lessons from the errors of others. Most developers fail to take the time to procure and study classic textbooks, such as Brooks' "The Mythical Man-Month," Summerville's "Software Engineering," or some of Gerald M. Weinberg's works on code review, the psychology of computer programming, or organic problem solving. What little I know of the medical field comes from personal interaction with my own doctors. And they all have been too busy to actively stay "current" in their reading. Perhaps we shouldn't blame the doctors. Perhaps what they are reading has been so unhelpful, that they have made the right choice to not make the time for it? And as Mr. Albert points out, perhaps if it was their own condition, or the condition of their own child, they would suddenly find ways to get around this meaningless information logjam and find out what is really working and/or not working. In this “Internet Age” the “gatekeepers” have lost their power to control the flow of information. It is only a matter of time before more cutting-edge researchers begin to dare to prove it. I can’t understand why this amazingly good piece of work by Paul Albert hasn’t been picked up for publication in other venues yet!

After 20+ years in the software development business, my greatest lesson learned is that nobody cares to learn lessons from their own recent tendencies to make the same coding errors over and over, let alone learn lessons from the errors of others.

Most developers fail to take the time to procure and study classic textbooks, such as Brooks’ “The Mythical Man-Month,” Summerville’s “Software Engineering,” or some of Gerald M. Weinberg’s works on code review, the psychology of computer programming, or organic problem solving.

What little I know of the medical field comes from personal interaction with my own doctors. And they all have been too busy to actively stay “current” in their reading. Perhaps we shouldn’t blame the doctors. Perhaps what they are reading has been so unhelpful, that they have made the right choice to not make the time for it?

And as Mr. Albert points out, perhaps if it was their own condition, or the condition of their own child, they would suddenly find ways to get around this meaningless information logjam and find out what is really working and/or not working.

In this “Internet Age” the “gatekeepers” have lost their power to control the flow of information. It is only a matter of time before more cutting-edge researchers begin to dare to prove it.

]]> By: Phil Schoner http://bacteriality.com/2007/12/11/opensource/#comment-638 Phil Schoner Fri, 21 Dec 2007 16:07:09 +0000 http://bacteriality.com/2007/12/11/opensource/#comment-638 In keeping with the spirit of the season "Although its been said many times, many ways", money and profits figure prominently in the failure of our current medical research system. What would all those drug companies do if it became known that Benicar and cheap pulsed AB's could cure such a wide range of chronic diseases. Diseases which currently provide them with such huge sources of revenue. Its enough to drive you crazy. Phil In keeping with the spirit of the season “Although its been said many times, many ways”, money and profits figure prominently in the failure of our current medical research system. What would all those drug companies do if it became known that Benicar and cheap pulsed AB’s could cure such a wide range of chronic diseases. Diseases which currently provide them with such huge sources of revenue.

Its enough to drive you crazy.

Phil

]]> By: Amy Proal http://bacteriality.com/2007/12/11/opensource/#comment-459 Amy Proal Fri, 14 Dec 2007 04:04:57 +0000 http://bacteriality.com/2007/12/11/opensource/#comment-459 Wow, it's a real pleasure to hear from you, Dr. Bradley. Let's hope there are still other scientists out there like yourself who are willing to rethink the way they do research. Joao, it does appear that Dr. Sharma is the bad guy in this story, doesn't it? If you asked him, he would probably say that what he believes about the pathology of sarcoidosis is no different from what any number of other pulmonologists believe-- but that should be no excuse. Quite literally, lives are on the line. Saj, thank you as always for your good feedback. Amy Wow, it’s a real pleasure to hear from you, Dr. Bradley. Let’s hope there are still other scientists out there like yourself who are willing to rethink the way they do research.

Joao, it does appear that Dr. Sharma is the bad guy in this story, doesn’t it? If you asked him, he would probably say that what he believes about the pathology of sarcoidosis is no different from what any number of other pulmonologists believe– but that should be no excuse. Quite literally, lives are on the line.

Saj, thank you as always for your good feedback.

Amy

]]> By: Shirley J http://bacteriality.com/2007/12/11/opensource/#comment-456 Shirley J Fri, 14 Dec 2007 01:48:30 +0000 http://bacteriality.com/2007/12/11/opensource/#comment-456 Way to go!! I am so proud you! This is a great article. Very well versed. Amazing! Saj Way to go!! I am so proud you! This is a great article. Very well versed. Amazing! Saj

]]> By: joao http://bacteriality.com/2007/12/11/opensource/#comment-455 joao Fri, 14 Dec 2007 01:04:36 +0000 http://bacteriality.com/2007/12/11/opensource/#comment-455 So Dr Om Sharma is purposefully hiding vital information from Sarcoidosis patients and allowing them to suffer and even die? The media has to get wind of this! So Dr Om Sharma is purposefully hiding vital information from Sarcoidosis patients and allowing them to suffer and even die? The media has to get wind of this!

]]> By: Jean-Claude Bradley http://bacteriality.com/2007/12/11/opensource/#comment-446 Jean-Claude Bradley Thu, 13 Dec 2007 09:18:57 +0000 http://bacteriality.com/2007/12/11/opensource/#comment-446 Excellent article! Indeed there is much more to gain than lose from increasing transparency in research at all levels. The more discussion we have about it the faster we can get people involved. Excellent article! Indeed there is much more to gain than lose from increasing transparency in research at all levels. The more discussion we have about it the faster we can get people involved.

]]>