  Access to astronomical data through archives and VO is essential but does not
solve all problems. Availability of appropriate software for analyzing the data
is often equally important for the efficiency with which a researcher can
publish results. A number of legacy systems (e.g. IRAF, MIDAS, Starlink, AIPS,
Gipsy), as well as others now coming online are available but have very
different user interfaces and may no longer be fully supported. Users may need
multiple systems or stand-alone packages to complete the full analysis which
introduces significant overhead. The OPTICON Network on `Future Astronomical
Software Environments' and the USVAO have discussed these issues and have
outlined a general architectural concept that solves many of the current
problems in accessing software packages. It foresees a layered structure with
clear separation of astronomical code and IT infrastructure. By relying on
modern IT concepts for messaging and distributed execution, it provides full
scalability from desktops to clusters of computers. A generic parameter passing
mechanism and common interfaces will offer easy access to a wide range of
astronomical software, including legacy packages, through a single scripting
language such as Python. A prototype based upon a proposed standard
architecture is being developed as a proof-of-concept. It will be followed by
definition of standard interfaces as well as a reference implementation which
can be evaluated by the user community. For the long-term success of such an
environment, stable interface specifications and adoption by major astronomical
institutions as well as a reasonable level of support for the infrastructure
are mandatory. Development and maintenance of astronomical packages would
follow an open-source, Internet concept.
