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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 February 2011
As data collection and computers expand their capabilities, modelling changes itscharacteristics. Not only the purpose of modelling becomes multiple, but thresholds arereached beyond which the best suited methods change. In view of the expected impact of theGAIA mission, the possibilities of modelling the Milky Way and spiral galaxy dynamics overthe next decade are here discussed, taking the past development of galactic astronomy as aguide.