Speaker
Description
Feedback from real users who rely on software daily is one of the most valuable inputs for developers. In scientific facilities using distributed control systems, large-scale GUIs must handle hundreds of process variables event notifications and polling requests, often affected by hardware delays and timeouts. Users expect reliable, fast data delivery, and startup time is the first hurdle: poor initial performance can quickly undermine user confidence.
Taurus is a Python framework for building graphical user interfaces that support multiple control systems and data sources. It is a community-driven, open-source project used for over a decade in scientific facilities, including synchrotrons (ALBA, DESY, MAX IV, SOLARIS), laser laboratories (MBI Berlin), and observatories (ESO).
Taurus originally suffered from slow GUI startup times when dealing with large number of process variables. An optimization effort initiated four years ago has reduced startup times by up to 70%, first by addressing polling inefficiencies and later improving event subscription mechanisms (for TANGO). A third phase now targets runtime performance optimizations as conditions evolve. Beyond performance, Taurus continues to expand its community. The outcomes of a recent workshop at SOLEIL will be presented, including developments, user feedback, and the roadmap.
