User support – Ecopath with Ecosim (original) (raw)

Since its first release EwE has been a free software and is developed on a non-profit basis. This will continue to be so, but we need your help to make sure this can continue. If you are a student or post-doc researcher and you foresee that you need scientific or technical help when using the software please consider taking out a user support contract. Such a contract allows Ecopath Research and Development Consortium developers and scientists to dedicate time and effort to address your questions, solve issues that you discover and implement features that you may desire.

With support contracts we aim to achieve the following:

• Better serve students learning to use EwE, who, in turn, can better rely on professional support;
• Provide funding for the EwE development efforts toward supporting users;
• Ensure periodic new releases of the software when enough resources are available.

Note that per 1 January 2022 the following changes apply to support packages:

• Technical and scientific support caters to students. Projects that require EwE expertise should include core EwE scientists in their proposal
• Prices are listed in Euro, no longer in US

Arrangement

• Support contracts are geared towards students. Projects that require technical and/or scientific EwE know-how should include EwE core staff as team members in their project proposals;
• Support contracts are purchased independently of the EwE software – which is free;
• Support contracts are provided by the Ecopath Research and Development Consortium;
• A contract defines a number of hours that EwE support staff can dedicate to assist the user who purchased the contract;
• Support contracts are valid for one year after purchase;
• Support contracts are non-refundable;
• Support contracts are intended for students and post-docs only. If you need help applying EwE in projects, include EwE core scientists or Ecopath International Initiative as partners in your proposal;
• EwE Consortium Members, programmers and scientists will provide user support;
• Support contracts can be used to address software bugs, to get assistance installing the EwE software, and to get assistance with scientific issues;
• Bug fixes will only be made to the most recently released version of EwE;
• Support is initiated by email but phone or Skype calls may be used as part of the support;
• If the number of hours runs out before the support period ends, a user will have to take out a new support contract for the support to continue;
• Support packages can be ordered by contacting us directly, and will be paid for through invoicing to institutions. A formal receipt will be issued that can be used for accounting;
• Any balance left at the end of the year since purchase will go to EwE development and maintenance;
• If rather than support, users need dedicated software development or specific applications of the software, users are encouraged to fund the work through a co-development project with the EwE Consortium.

Packages

Support contracts can be purchased at 100 EUR per hour, for a minimum of 10 hours.

Please contact us if you have any questions or you want to purchase user support.