This license would permit researchers to obtain the source code and incorporate their results into the model, or validate it under unique production conditions. Train students for careers in agriculture, natural resource management, environmental science, human sciences and the food industries. This project addresses the overall program objective in several ways. First, creating a web based version of the Decision Evaluator for the Cattle Industry or DECI, a production simulation model, will allow us to distribute it across networks at minimal to no cost. Thus, we will be able to manage the program on a single server, concentrating the need for computer expertise and resources, while providing the widest access possible.
Computer labs allowing student access to the internet are readilly available on college campuses.
In addition, most extension offices and schools, as well as many homes now have, or soon will have, internet connections. Web server clients, including Netscape Communicator and MS Internet Explorer, are available for free. In some cases, it would not even be necessary to own a computer. This project will also expand research and extension efforts in production systems modelling. The DECI program will be written in java, which is designed to be a write once run anywhere environment.