For computational molecular modelers, the last thing anyone wants is to encounter unnecessary technical roadblocks while setting up an advanced platform like SAMSON. Ensuring that your system meets the requirements and configurations for this tool is essential for a smooth experience.
Key System Requirements
SAMSON supports 64-bit operating systems and requires a graphics card capable of running OpenGL 4.1. Users with NVIDIA or AMD graphics cards should ensure that appropriate drivers with OpenGL support are installed. For those on Intel graphics cards, be aware that they might generate warnings during installation, though the installer allows you to proceed if you wish. If you’re using a virtual machine, make sure to enable hardware GPU acceleration to avoid performance issues.
Additional Notes for Linux Users
Linux users might need to install additional libraries to have SAMSON function optimally:
- On Ubuntu or Ubuntu-like systems:
sudo apt install libxcb-cursor0 libatomic1 - On CentOS or CentOS-like distributions:
sudo dnf install xcb-util*
If you encounter problems with OpenGL libraries, refer to the Installing OpenGL drivers on Linux section in the original documentation.
Platforms Supported by SAMSON
SAMSON is designed to run on the following platforms:
- Windows: Windows 10 and Windows 11.
- Linux: Ubuntu 22.04 and newer, Fedora 42 and newer, CentOS, and other similar distributions.
- macOS: Sequoia (macOS 15), Sonoma (macOS 14), Ventura (macOS 13), Monterey (macOS 12), and compatible with both 64-bit Intel and ARM processors.
Note that the software has not been tested on older OS platforms, so users on legacy systems might face compatibility issues.
Technical Highlights
No admin rights? No problem! SAMSON does not require administrative privileges for installation, making it accessible and easy to try. The platform even goes a step further by running checks at startup to ensure you’re not operating it in admin mode, as a safeguard to minimize over-privileged execution risks.
An important thing to remember: If you’re operating on macOS, it might be necessary to provide full disk access to SAMSON. You can learn more about how to do this in the Full Disk Access on macOS section of the documentation.
Setting Up Your System for Success
Meeting the correct requirements and configurations ahead of time will save you from headaches during installation or operation. SAMSON’s documentation provides ample guidance for troubleshooting issues, especially hardware-related configurations, so there’s no need to worry if you run into unexpected challenges.
For detailed guidance on the platform’s requirements, please visit the original documentation page.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. To get started, visit https://www.samson-connect.net.