Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Gekko (optimization software)


 * The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review).  No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was no consensus. 78.26 (spin me / revolutions) 20:49, 23 May 2018 (UTC)

Gekko (optimization software)

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I found no substantial and independent coverage of this software to meet WP:GNG, once I excluded from a Google search a couple of phrases shared in common on a number of websites (suggesting promotional copy) and a mining company in Canada. Largoplazo (talk) 15:57, 29 April 2018 (UTC)
 * Note: This discussion has been included in the list of Software-related deletion discussions.  MT Train Talk 18:10, 29 April 2018 (UTC)

Are the editors willing to consider other sources besides Google? Gekko publications have a longer history of publication in the scientific (rigorously peer-reviewed) literature. The Gekko name was not used during the development of the software (similar to how Intel has a different name for chips when in development than in production). The NSF Award page (https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1547110) gives several references:


 * Eaton, A.N., Beal, L., Thorpe, S., Hubbell, C., Hedengren, J.D., Nybø, R., Aghito, M.. "Real Time Model Identification Using Multi-Fidelity Models in Managed Pressure Drilling," Computers and Chemical Engineering, v.97, 2017, p. 76. doi:10.1016/j.compchemeng.2016.11.008
 * Beal, L., Clark, J., Anderson, M., Warnick, S., Hedengren, J.D.. "Combined Scheduling and Control with Diurnal Constraints and Costs using a Discrete Time Formulation," FOCAPO / CPC 2017, 2017.
 * Beal, L., Park, J., Petersen, D., Warnick, S., Hedengren, J.D.. "Combined Model Predictive Control and Scheduling with Dominant Time Constant Compensation," Computers & Chemical Engineering, v.104, 2017. doi:10.1016/j.compchemeng.2017.04.024
 * Beal, L.D., Petersen D., Pila G., Davis, B., Warnick, S., and Hedengren, J.D.. "Economic Benefit from Progressive Integration of Scheduling and Control for Continuous Chemical Processes," Processes, v.5, 2017. doi:10.3390/pr5040084
 * Mojica, J.L., Petersen, D.J., Hansen, B., Powell, K.M., Hedengren, J.D.. "Optimal Combined Long-Term Facility Design and Short-Term Operational Strategy for CHP Capacity Investments," Energy, v.118, 2017. doi:10.1016/j.energy.2016.12.009
 * Petersen, D., Beal, L.D., Prestwich D., Warnick, S., and Hedengren, J. D.. "Combined Noncyclic Scheduling and Advanced Control for Continuous Chemical Processes," Processes, v.5, 2017. doi:10.3390/pr5040083
 * Udy, J., Blackburn, L., Hedengren, J.D., Darby, M.. "Reduced Order Modeling for Reservoir Injection Optimization and Forecasting," FOCAPO / CPC 2017, Tuscon, AZ, 2017.

Additional references are more recent:
 * Beal, L.D., Petersen, D., Grimsman, D., Warnick, S., Hedengren, J.D., Integrated Scheduling and Control in Discrete-time with Dynamic Parameters and Constraints, Computers & Chemical Engineering, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compchemeng.2018.04.010
 * Hedengren, J.D., Brower, D.V., Wilson J.C., High, G., Witherow, K., New Flow Assurance System With High Speed Subsea Fiber Optic Monitoring Of Pressure And Temperature, Symposium 4 Pipelines, Risers, and Subsea Systems, ASME 37th International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering, OMAE2018/78079, Madrid, Spain, June 2018.

Logan Beal (Gekko creator) and I were editors on a new special issue book that was recently published that highlights developments in this area from multiple contributors:


 * Hedengren, J.D., Beal, L., Special Issue: Combined Scheduling and Control, Processes, 6(3), 24, doi: 10.3390/pr6030024, 2018. http://www.mdpi.com/journal/processes/special_issues/Combined_Scheduling

A few additional contributions may appear soon but are currently under peer review or development:
 * Facebook internet drone design is generated by Gekko: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3086&context=facpub
 * Petrobras (in Brazil) is developing improvements to distillation with Gekko (see bottom of http://apmonitor.com/do/index.php/Main/ProjectLab):
 * Statoil is developing improvements to heat exchangers with Gekko
 * University of Utah is developing Gekko for energy system optimization of district energy system
 * Self-balancing robots with Gekko: http://apmonitor.com/do/index.php/Main/InvertedPendulum

The notability will continue to improve as additional independent articles are published. The peer review process and publication can take a while for any new contribution but it is currently on track to have a substantial body of references by the end of 2018. Perhaps this would be a better target for creating a new Gekko page on Wikipedia but it seems that there are many other Wikipedia articles in this area that have many fewer citations. See, for example, many of the software packages that are listed in the Mathematical Optimization Software list at the bottom of the Gekko (optimization software) page on Wikipedia. I understand that new articles need additional scrutiny but the Gekko article is clearly ahead of many of those that already exist in terms of citations in the academic literature. I will update the Gekko article to include additional citations to meet the notability requirements.

Jhedengren (talk) 01:57, 30 April 2018 (UTC)


 * Publications about a product by the people whose product it is aren't independent sources and, therefore, contribute nothing to a finding of notability. Also, the fact that a product has users is not an indication of notability, just as the fact that a business has customers, and lists them, isn't an indication of notability. Establishing notability for this encyclopedia isn't like establishing one's credentials for marketing, in grant applications, or for the benefit of organizers and attendees at conferences at which one hopes to present. Largoplazo (talk) 02:26, 30 April 2018 (UTC)


 * I appreciate this discussion and your insights. The package was publicly released in 2018 and the adoption and peer review process is generally slow. One additional example of notability of Gekko is that it is used for advanced control education modules in the Temperature Control Lab (Google search: temperature tclab) that is used by many universities and individuals. The number of users suggests that additional independent publications are forthcoming, to further strengthen the notability. It is understandable that these are discounted because these specific references are not yet citable. My point is that Gekko is gaining significant notability in industry and academia and it will likely have many more citations in the near future, especially because it is free and open-source with novel capabilities.


 * However, I believe that Gekko already has sufficient independent sources to establish notability. One thing to clarify is that I'm the developer of APMonitor, not Gekko. Logan Beal developed Gekko and it is his product although I am his research advisor. Logan is completing his PhD studies and will be joining a company later this year. I suggest that article sources that don't list Logan are independent of the product developer, especially those where I am not the principal author. The common outcomes for page deletion listed in WP:COMPOUTCOMES suggests that "programming languages are usually kept, additionally, if they are well-cited in peer-reviewed computer science literature". However, the justification for this Gekko page deletion is lack of Google search results. I propose that (1) this page deletion request be removed or (2) the deletion request is delayed and then the deletion request removed when additional independent citations are added in a couple months. I respect the decision of the editors if this page is deemed not sufficiently notable and will be glad to add the page again when additional citations are added and notability is strengthened. Jhedengren (talk) 14:11, 30 April 2018 (UTC)


 * Let me clarify: You are not an independent source. As for expectations of future coverage, you are correct in your assessment that when the time comes, then it will be time. Please see WP:TOOSOON and WP:CRYSTAL. Largoplazo (talk) 14:37, 30 April 2018 (UTC)


 * It seems that your quip on your user page sums up your qualifications for notability: "If Google returns fewer results for you than it does for me, you probably aren't notable. :-P". I'm not sure how many Google search results are returned for your name, but I think it is a mistake to ignore a significant body of peer-reviewed publications and base notability only on a Google search for "GEKKO Optimization". The peer review process helps to establish novelty and there are several independent examples of notability. I would appreciate a second editor's opinion on this before the article is deleted. Jhedengren (talk) 19:05, 30 April 2018 (UTC)


 * Again, notability for Wikipedia requires source(s) independent on the article subject. Papers written by authors of this software aren´t independent sources and so give no notability. Pavlor (talk) 19:47, 30 April 2018 (UTC)


 * I believe that Gekko should pass the notability requirement, especially in comparison to some of the other software packages listed. Many of the articles related to optimization software only list sources that are from the software authors including Artelys_Knitro, FICO_Xpress, Gurobi, IPOPT, Pyomo, SNOPT, and TOMLAB (as of 1 May 2018). All of these are very notable but it appears that the standards for independent citations on Wikipedia has improved. This won't be a problem for Gekko - I can add additional citations that are independent. Jhedengren (talk) 23:19, 1 May 2018 (UTC)


 * That other articles are as bad is without doubt no valid reason to keep this one... If you can provide independent reliable sources, that would certainly help. Pavlor (talk) 06:25, 2 May 2018 (UTC)


 * I added references 15-24 as other notable mentions of GEKKO. I can give additional references, if needed.
 * 15. Mittleman, Hans (1 May 2018). "Decision Tree for Optimization Software". Plato. Arizona State University. Retrieved 1 May 2018. Object-oriented python library for mixed-integer and differential-algebraic equations
 * 16. "Solver Solutions". Advanced Process Solutions, LLC. Retrieved 1 May 2018. GEKKO Python with APOPT or BPOPT Solvers
 * 17. Everton, Colling. "Dynamic Optimization Projects". Petrobras. Petrobras, Statoil, Facebook. Retrieved 1 May 2018. Example Presentation: Everton Colling of Petrobras shares his experience with GEKKO for modeling and nonlinear control of distillation
 * 18. "APMonitor Google Group: GEKKO". Google. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
 * 19. "Computational Science: Is there a high quality nonlinear programming solver for Python?". SciComp. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
 * 20. Kantor, Jeff (2 May 2018). "TCLab Documentation" (PDF). ReadTheDocs. University of Notre Dame. Retrieved 2 May 2018. pip install tclab
 * 21. Kantor, Jeff (2 May 2018). "Chemical Process Control". GitHub. University of Notre Dame. Retrieved 2 May 2018. Using the Temperature Control Lab (TCLab)
 * 22. Hedengren, John (2 May 2018). "Advanced Temperature Control Lab". Dynamic Optimization Course. Brigham Young University. Retrieved 2 May 2018. Hands-on applications of advanced temperature control
 * 23. Sandrock, Carl (2 May 2018). "Jupyter notebooks for Dynamics and Control". GitHub. University of Pretoria, South Africa. Retrieved 2 May 2018. CPN321 (Process Dynamics), and CPB421 (Process Control) at the Chemical Engineering department of the University of Pretoria
 * 24. "CACHE News (Winter 2018): Incorporating Dynamic Simulation into Chemical Engineering Curricula" (PDF). CACHE: Computer Aids for Chemical Engineering. University of Texas at Austin. 2 May 2018. Retrieved 2 May 2018. Short Course at the ASEE 2017 Summer School hosted at SCSU by Hedengren (BYU), Grover (Georgia Tech), and Badgwell (ExxonMobil)
 * Jhedengren (talk) 12:24, 2 May 2018 (UTC)


 * Too weak. Some are user generated content (GitHub), the other (24) doesn´t mention GEKKO at all (not even counting it is an advert for courses)! Pavlor (talk) 12:46, 2 May 2018 (UTC)


 * The course content references are to give an idea of the users of the TCLab that uses GEKKO. I can remove the TCLab references, if needed, but I think they give an idea of how GEKKO is being used. Here is the current distribution map of users: http://apmonitor.com/pdc/uploads/Main/tclab_users.png The CACHE new article from source (https://cache.org) was published by Tom Edgar (UT Austin) for a session that was held at the American Society for Engineering Education in summer 2017 where we introduced advanced control features of the software with TCLab. It is not an advertisement for a future course. All of the course content is freely available as well. GEKKO is the name that was coined with the software release in Jan 2018 with the public release. Many of them do not mention "GEKKO" because the name is associated with the later public release. Before that, it was beta software with no official name. There are additional references that I can add soon. For example, Facebook is open-sourcing their trajectory optimization for HALE aircraft (Internet drones) soon that is based on GEKKO. Jhedengren (talk) 16:57, 2 May 2018 (UTC)

 Relisted to generate a more thorough discussion and clearer consensus.

Please add new comments below this notice. Thanks, Randykitty (talk) 14:33, 7 May 2018 (UTC)  Relisted to generate a more thorough discussion and clearer consensus.

Please add new comments below this notice. Thanks, 78.26  (spin me / revolutions) 15:32, 15 May 2018 (UTC)


 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.