Many molecular modelers and computational scientists face the same recurring issue: needing administrator rights to install powerful simulation tools on their machines. Whether you’re using an institutional computer with limited access or a virtual machine setup, the need for admin privileges often slows down or even halts workflows. This is where SAMSON makes a significant difference.
SAMSON (Software for Adaptive Modeling and Simulation Of Nanosystems) is a platform developed by OneAngstrom for computational nanoscience. It supports use cases in life sciences, material science, chemistry, and more. One of SAMSON’s key strengths is its ability to install entirely in the user home folder, without ever requiring administrator access.
Why This Matters
For researchers and students often working on shared systems or remote desktop environments, not having administrator rights means long waits for IT help or complicated workarounds. This delay can be especially frustrating when trying to test or validate ideas quickly. SAMSON changes the game by offering a straightforward installation process tailored to non-admin users.
Highlights of the Installation Process
- No admin rights needed: SAMSON installs directly in the user’s home directory, bypassing the system folders entirely.
- Self-contained design: SAMSON is developed to be isolated from system-level dependencies, ensuring compatibility and a clean uninstallation path.
- Explicit checks for security: SAMSON ensures that it is not run in admin mode, which adds a layer of protection and adheres to best security practices.
Step-by-Step Instructions
To begin installing SAMSON, just go to the download page on SAMSON Connect. After login or registration, you’ll receive a SAMSON key by email. This key is required during installation.
Once the installer is downloaded, start it from your home directory. On Linux, you may need to give executable permission:
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cd ~/Downloads chmod +x ./SAMSON-Setup.run QT_QPA_PLATFORM=xcb ./SAMSON-Setup.run |
Even in environments with firewalls or proxies, SAMSON provides options to configure access to its online extension marketplace.
Supported Platforms
SAMSON supports a wide variety of operating systems:
- Windows 10 & 11
- Linux (Ubuntu 22.04+, Fedora 42+, CentOS)
- macOS Monterey (12), Ventura (13), Sonoma (14), Sequoia (15), compatible with both Intel and ARM chips
Requirements Summary
The primary requirements are minimal:
- 64-bit operating system
- A GPU that supports OpenGL 4.1 (with appropriate drivers for NVIDIA or AMD cards)
For Linux users, certain libraries (e.g., libxcb-cursor0, libatomic1) might need to be installed beforehand. These are typically straightforward to set up using your distribution’s package manager.
Who Benefits Most from This?
If you’re a student in a university lab, a researcher in a high-performance computing environment, or anyone working from a machine where you can’t escalate privileges, SAMSON is an excellent option. Its non-admin setup reduces setup friction dramatically, making it easier to get straight to modeling proteins, ligands, materials, or nanostructures without calling IT support.
Learn more technical details or troubleshoot installation issues in the official user documentation.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can get SAMSON from https://www.samson-connect.net.