(You came here via the "factory entrance". Unless you are highly computer literate, you are better off skipping to the wiki.)
This repository serves the distribution, maintenance, support, and further development of G_String_M, an upgraded version of G_String_L, a software tool allowing generalists to perform Generalizability-Analysis of performance evaluations. In contrast to more general statistical tools, G_String does not require a great deal of mathematical sophistication. It guides the user step-by-step through the accepted mathematical algorithms. Until the present, G_String was programmed in traditional Oracle Java 8. But over the past 15 years the software industry has made great progress. GS_M is an upgrade that runs on any Windows, Mac, or Linux (Debian) without specific library requirements. While it currently uses Java and JavaFX version-21 automatically, it is easily upgradable to future versions, thus keeping step with further development. The key to this development was to incorporate G_String with its own build tool - Gradle.
So what does the M in GS_M stand for?
- M for Modular: old G_String was coded entirely in Oracle Java version 8, which had an overly simple structure, and therefore was more susceptible to problems. Since Java 9, Oracle has introduced a modular program structure. GS_M is coded accordingly.
- M for Modern: Java 8 was strictly an Oracle product that also included graphic libraries. From version 9 on, the graphics libraries (javafx) became a separate product, and the market split further between official, commercially licensed Oracle products, and a variety of Open Source software. So each installation of an operating system typically can have different combinations of java and javafx versions installed. As a consequence, installing non-modular graphical applications has become a nightmare. Modern G_String GS_M carries the required libraries already in the installation package.
- M for Mega: as a consequence GS_M is much bigger than GS_L, typically closer to 100 MB.
In other words GS_M is more stable, easier to install, easier to maintain, and easier to adapt to changes in the digital ecosystem than old GS_L.
GS_M releases for Linux, Windows and macOS can now be downloaded here.