Useful resources

We want to collect together all of the most useful software resources on this page. We've started things off, but to make this list truly comprehensive, we are going to need help...

Tell us about your most useful resources!

Take a look over the resources below. Have we missed something? If you know of a useful resource that we haven't listed, please info [at] software [dot] ac [dot] uk (let us know) and we'll add it to this page.

Resources on this website

In addition to the links below, you should also take a look at our Guides for everything and other resources on this website.

Funding

• Research Professional - leading provider of news and funding information for research professionals.

Getting help with software development

• AskSteve! - you can asksteve [at] software [dot] ac [dot] uk (email AskSteve) with all your software troubles and queries. Each week or so, Steve will work on a problem and post his answer to the blog.
• Stackoverflow - a collaborative programming Q & A site that’s free to ask questions, and free to answer questions.

Starting and building community

• How to build a community - OSS Watch
• Software sustainability maturity model - OSS Watch
• Producing open-source software: How to run a successful free software project - Karl Fogel
• Why build a software community? - Developer Resource
• Before you build a software community - Developer Resource
• Tips for building a community - Developer Resource
• Talk on software sustainability at IPAC - Bruce Berriman, presented at the SSI workshop at AHM2010

Software development

• Overview of software archaeology - Wikipedia
• Significant properties of software framework: a useful framework of things to investigate and discover - JISC
• Reducing "code smells" – a catalog of code refactoring patterns – Martin Fowler and Kent Beck.
• Example of a handover checklist in an email-based system - SSW Consulting
• Support for understanding and implementing usability - UsabilityUK / JISC
• Guerilla/lightweight usability testing - Mia Ridge, OU

I'm not a lawyer - help me with legal issues

• Help with copyright and Creative Commons licences for educational resources - Web2Rights. Clearing copyright (PDF). Choosing a licence (PDF).

Before starting your next software project

• Expert and FE/HE-specific resources covering issues relating to open-source software use and development - OSS Watch
• Software carpentry - a wide range of advice for developing software
• Software reuse readiness levels - NASA