Annette Saunders, Alexander Antunes, E. Larry Elwin (Raytheon at NASA/GSFC)
Reference URL: http://lheawww.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/xray/astroe/tako/
In some ways, this is a software golden age, allowing a greater focus on the User and less emphasis on machine or coding preferences. Complex, arcane, single-use, in-house-only software is gradually giving way to more flexible multi-mission tools that can be used by a variety of users with minimal instruction. The development of reusable libraries and ready access to fast machines has made the creation of software easier. With web-based interfaces and multiplatform scripting and GUI languages like Tcl/Tk, applications can reach a wider audience. So, using the TAKO Scheduling software suite as an example, we discuss the visual, interface, and basic data design choices necessary towards making tools that not only work, but can be learned quickly and effectively by an unfamiliar audience.