[GRASS-PSC] git migration: Zenodo and versioned DOI for GRASS releases

["Peter Löwe"]

Hi Markus, hi PSC,

the reason why I believe we should consider the Zenodo option (for long term archiving and DOI-based scientific recognition/citation) before making the switch to GitHub is the DOI versioning capability of Zenodo (https://blog.zenodo.org/2017/05/30/doi-versioning-launched/). This is similar to the mechanism implented for the GRASS module manual pages, where references from outdated versions point to the current release of the module (and man page). The DOI-versioning mechanism in Zenodo additionally implements a version history as a hsitorical sequence of releases. This means that the DOI version for GRASS 4.2.1 predates GRASS 4.3, which predates GRASS5.x, etc. etc. and all also point to the latest release.

The GRASS SVN contains the release branches dating back to GRASS 5. In addition there are tarballs from the GRASS 4.x era (-> what about GRASS 3.x or earlier ?).

Making all these releases available for scientific citation (and recognition) through one versioned DOI in the described "timely sequence" is a more complex task than what's covered in the how-to guides for GitHub-Zenodo-integration (https://genr.eu/wp/cite/).

I've contacted the Zenodo helpdesk for advice how this should be approached and will report back ASAP.

It would be a pity (and waste of ressources) if we make the effort to create a GitHub repo for GRASS once and then having to redo it because of some pecularities of the DOI-versioning mechanism.

best,
peter 
   

<peter.loewe at gmx.de>


> Gesendet: Samstag, 13. April 2019 um 22:35 Uhr
> Von: "Markus Neteler" <neteler at osgeo.org>
> An: "Peter Löwe" <peter.loewe at gmx.de>
> Cc: GRASS-PSC <grass-psc at lists.osgeo.org>
> Betreff: Re: git migration: the Zenodo option
>
> On Mon, Apr 1, 2019 at 11:13 AM Markus Neteler <neteler at osgeo.org> wrote:
> >
> > Hi Peter,
> >
> > On Mon, Apr 1, 2019 at 9:35 AM "Peter Löwe" <peter.loewe at gmx.de> wrote:
> > >
> > > Hello PSC,
> > >
> > > before we actually venture into GitHub, I propose we should consider beforehand how the GRASS repo(s) *could* make use  of the Zenodo archive in the future, so we can set up things in a way that this option can be used (setting up of credentials, etc.). Zenodo is a open-access long term scientific archive (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zenodo), operated and maintained by CERN. The Zenodo software itself is also FOSS.
> > > Connecting repos on GitHub with Zenodo is easy: https://guides.github.com/activities/citable-code/
> > >
> > > IMHO we could use this mechanism to provide scientific citability and long term preservation for the old stable releases GRASS 4.x, 5.x and 6.x.
> >
> > A very good idea.
> > Just curious: why is this needed to be done (?) *before* migrating to
> > GitHub?
> 
> ... still an open question...
> 
> > I'd rather get that done first, then put cool stuff on top.
> 
> In any case, I have added it to
> 
> https://trac.osgeo.org/grass/wiki/GitMigration#FutureplansnotbeingpartofthisRFC
> 
> Best,
> Markus
>