Conference call notes 20141114

Notes on the 20th EasyBuild conference call, Wednesday November 14th 2014 (4.00pm - 4.30pm CET)

Alphabetical list of attendees (7):

see http://easybuild.readthedocs.org
missing topics:
- make system tools accessible
  - ‘just’ provide a module, maybe .eb too

v1.16 release pushed back due to focus on revamped documentation
still a couple of open framework issues/PRs that should be resolved first
cfr. https://github.com/hpcugent/easybuild-framework/pulls and https://github.com/hpcugent/easybuild-framework/issues
deprecation aspect should be handed fully in EasyBuild v1.16.0, to prepare for EasyBuild v2.0 where deprecated behavior will be dropped
- EasyBuild v2.0 should be the first release of 2015

Alan/Eric:
- issue when a tool (GMP) built with another compiler (not in the toolchain) is brought in, since suddenly MPIs are being swapped by Lmod and lots of stuff is rendered inactive
- move ‘module use’ to toolchains instead?
- collapse compiler into GMP module to avoid extra extensions to $MODULEPATH causing problems?
only icc module needs to be loaded to expand $MODULEPATH and make MPI module available
- access to (also Fortran) application modules can be obtained without ever loading the ifort module...
- solution?
  - make ‘module use’ in icc/ifort modules conditional on companion module being loaded already?
  - can Lmod spider handle this?
- cfr. https://github.com/hpcugent/easybuild-framework/issues/1076
nicely handling co-processors in HIerarchicalMNS
- e.g. CUDA on top of icc/ifort, see https://github.com/hpcugent/easybuild-framework/pull/1086
- HierarchicalMNS is not aware of CUDA on top of icc/ifort yet
- how should co-processors be handled properly in HMNS?

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