1.7 Finding the other FHI-aims developers and users (talk to us!)

It can be surprisingly useful (and more fun) to find others who work with FHI-aims – to help find out who might already have solved a specific problem, how a given problem might be solved, exchange experiences, devise new and cool functionality that could take electronic structure theory to the next level, and so on. Some of us also simply like to have a cup of coffee with others (see below). FHI-aims only functions as a code and science tool because of the community around it, and we’re always happy to meet new users, developers, and generally find out how to do better science together.

At the time of writing, we have a number of active communication channels. Anyone using or developing with FHI-aims is encouraged to frequent one or all of them:

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  The forums and wiki at the FHI-aims GitLab server, https://aims-git.rz-berlin.mpg.de/ . This is a place where questions can be asked, answered, and looked up, and anyone is welcome and encouraged to share their experiences there. Additionally, wiki entries are also encouraged. If nothing else, the wiki is a place to let the rest of the world know of successful build settings for FHI-aims on different platforms.

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  An active Slack channel (chat) at https://fhi-aims.slack.com/ . This is a place where a number of developers and users hang out and can be easily reached for questions in public semi-private and private conversations. Pretty effective. To join, you’ll need an invitation from one of the Slack channel owners, which we’ll happily provide. Just ask, for by email (volker.blum@duke.edu is one of the owners, or to aims-coordinators@ms1p.org).

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  Monthly FHI-aims video meetings for anyone with an interest, usually announced on the FHI-aims Slack channel.

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  FHI-aims Users’ and Developers’ meetings, which we hold roughly every two years.

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  For those who use the FHI-aims mainline (development) version – everyone with an FHI-aims license is welcome and encouraged to ask for access to this usually very stable version – there are nightly regression tests documented at https://aims-git.rz-berlin.mpg.de/ .

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  Finally, for those who are shy, you are also welcome to email us:
  At aims-coordinators@ms1p.org or (for those who are even more shy) email Volker, the lead developer, at volker.blum@duke.edu . Email is a productive avenue and Volker answers to the best of his abilities and available human time. However, bear in mind that one of the above channels will also reach Volker and, in addition, the many others who make FHI-aims happen and who might already have solved a problem and have an answer … although you’d never have thought anyone did.

In short – please feel welcome and encouraged to talk to us if useful. FHI-aims is about science, and we’re accessible. And if you’re new to all this and someone helped you out especially, feel free to send them a Starbucks gift card (no one has ever done that, but hey, you could be the first :) or, even better, to cite their contribution to FHI-aims.