This FAQ page is a work in progress and is being continuously updated.
How do I use BrainIAK?
BrainIAK is a software package that can be installed by various standard ways for Python packages, such as through Conda, pip, or Docker. Detailed installation instructions can be found at https://github.com/brainiak/brainiak. We also have tutorials on how to use the various functions in BrainIAK.
How can I install BrainIAK locally on Windows?
You can install BrainIAK via Docker on Windows. Follow the instructions here.
Note that we do not support MPI execution using Docker containers and that performance will not be optimal.
How can I run the tutorials on my Windows machine?
Use Windows 10 and follow instructions on https://brainiak.org/tutorials/ to install Docker. Ideally you should also have 5GB of memory for Docker to use for reasonable performance.
I encountered an error using BrainIAK. How do I resolve it?
If you have a problem, question or feedback, chat with us on Gitter or email our list at brainiak@googlegroups.com. If you find a problem with BrainIAK, you can also open an issue on GitHub.
Once I post an issue, how soon can I expect to hear back on the issue? The code contributors strive to respond as quickly as possible. However, since the package is developed by volunteers, please expect a few days before getting a solution.
How do I run searchlights using BrainIAK?
We have a tutorial that will help you run searchlights. Please browse through the searchlight tutorial.
What type of code can I contribute to BrainIAK?
We welcome contributions. You can read about the goals of BrainIAK here. You can also discuss your contribution on Gitter and get feedback on how your contributions fit to BrainIAK.
Where can I find citations of the methods used in BrainIAK?
Go to Publications
Do I need to know git/GitHub to use BrainIAK?
We use GitHub to manage our code base, but you do not need to know how to use GitHub to use BrainIAK. We provide instructions on how to install the package and the tutorials, with minimal use of GitHuB.
However, if you wish to make a contribution to BrainIAK, you will need to learn to use GitHub functionality to do so. Some things to get familiar with are: cloning, branching, commits, push, pull, and pull requests. You can learn more about all these terms here and here.
Who reviews the pull requests on the BrainIAK github?
Individuals affiliated with Princeton, Yale and Intel with relevant expertise are assigned to review the pull requests.
When using docker for Windows, should I choose to use Windows containers or Linux containers?
Use Linux containers.
When downloading miniconda for Mac, do I use the Python 2 or Python 3 based version?
Use the Python 3 based version.