What is Galaxy? Why do I need to use it?


Galaxy is an online workbench originally designed for bioinformatics, that allows you to run data through tools stored on the cloud. Galaxy is used by a number of other disciplines such as astronomy and economics, as it is a very powerful workflow engine that allows researchers to define their own data manipulation and analytical tools. 


The version of Galaxy that we use in Alveo contains tools that have been specifically designed for language, speech, video or text analysis. You can think of Alveo as a scientific laboratory, with data sitting in filing cabinets and drawers. Galaxy is another part of the laboratory that contains the equipment and machinery that you use to experiment on your data. In order to experiment, you need to find the right data first, and then carry it over to the workbench where all the equipment is located.


See also the Tutorial: http://alveo.edu.au/2015/10/part-2-galaxy/