# Summary of #hplusroadmap IRC Log (April 12, 2010)

* A discussion about molecular biology visualization included the concept of representing biological structures in "balloon animal" style, with an example of T4 bacteriophage visualization shared (http://www.mansfield.ohio-state.edu/~sabedon/images/t4_balloon1.jpg).

* A paper on Unix philosophy by Markus Schnalke was shared (http://tmp.marmaro.de/unix-phil_draft.pdf), highlighting principles relevant to open-source development.

* A low-cost DIY XYZ positioning stage made from foamboard for approximately $90 was shared from MIT (http://web.mit.edu/imoyer/www/portfolio/foamcore/index.html), demonstrating accessible fabrication techniques.

* A detailed description of specialized dental manufacturing equipment was provided, including a $47k mini-CNC lathe/miller ("Sirona inLab MC XL") with 25-micron precision, featuring unusual hardware interfaces and wireless connectivity.

* A discussion about DIY biology community standards emerged, with a suggestion that the community needs something similar to Debian's Social Contract (http://www.debian.org/social_contract) to establish ethical guidelines and principles.

* Concerns were raised about survey methodology and data transparency in community research, with emphasis on using open-source survey tools like LimeSurvey (http://limesurvey.org/) rather than proprietary platforms.