News › Scientific Research in the Developing World to benefit from free GenStat statistical software

VSN team members

24 March 2005

VSN International, developers of the GenStat statistical system, has launched a free version of their commercial software available to non-commercial users and not-for-profit organisations in Developing world countries. GenStat for Windows Discovery Edition is available for immediate download (see link below).

"The discovery project demonstrates that it is possible to strike a balance between commercial activities and social responsibility" said Roger Payne, Chief Scientific and Technical Officer, VSN International. "This shows that software need not be open source to benefit those who need it most" A close relation to VSN International's commercial version of GenStat (edition 8), the GenStat Discovery Edition addresses one of the major constraints to scientific research in the developing world; the unavailability of proven analytical software.

Contacts

› Carey Biggs » carey.biggs@genstat.com (+44 (0)1442 450 235)

Notes to Editors

Headquartered in the UK, VSN International are the developers of the GenStat statistical system and one of the world leaders in data analysis solutions.

Originally developed by statisticians at Rothamsted, where many of the standard techniques were discovered, GenStat has a pedigree going back more than 30 years and is used by scientists, researchers, analysts, academics and educators in more than 80 countries around the world.

Rothamsted Research Press Office

For further information, please contact Darren Hughes, Head of Communications, on +44 (0) 1582 763 133 ext 2673, email darren.hughes@rothamsted.ac.uk

Rothamsted is the longest running agricultural research station in the world, providing cutting-edge science and innovation for nearly 170 years. Our mission is to deliver the knowledge and new practices to increase crop productivity and quality and to develop environmentally sustainable solutions for food and energy production. Our strength lies in our integrated, multidisciplinary approach to research in plant and soil science.

Rothamsted Research receives strategic funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) . It is the longest running agricultural research station in the world, developing environmentally sustainable solutions for food and energy production through science and innovation for nearly 170 years.

About BBSRC

BBSRC is the UK funding agency for research in the life sciences and the largest single public funder of agriculture and food-related research.

Sponsored by Government, BBSRC's budget for 2011-12 is around £445M which it is investing in a wide range of research that makes a significant contribution to the quality of life in the UK and beyond and supports a number of important industrial stakeholders, including the agriculture, food, chemical, healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors.

BBSRC provides institute strategic research grants to the following:

The Babraham Institute, Institute for Animal Health, Institute for Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (Aberystwyth University), Institute of Food Research, John Innes Centre, The Genome Analysis Centre, The Roslin Institute (University of Edinburgh) and Rothamsted Research.

The Institutes conduct long-term, mission-oriented research using specialist facilities. They have strong interactions with industry, Government departments and other end-users of their research.

For more information see: www.bbsrc.ac.uk