2/9/03.

Chaps,

I originally intended to send this message just to Dave G. and Patrick.
However, I realised that some of you might be interested, and none of it
is confidential.  So I thought that I might as well send it to the Starlink
list.  I have been offered, and accepted, a post as a Java developer for
AstroGrid/AVO based here in Edinburgh.  It will run until more-or-less the
end of the current AstroGrid project (i.e. about a year).  As you can
imagine this offer is a considerable relief.

My current thinking is to let my existing Starlink contract run until
it expires at the end of October, before starting the new one.  Thus, since
it will be terminating normally (and my notional employer, the University of
Edinburgh, won't be changing), I don't think that I need to give Starlink any
more formal notice than this message, but let me know if this is not the
case.

There is some Starlink work that I still need to do, notably preparing
a release of Figaro and preparing to hand it over.  I'll discuss what is
involved in greater detail with Dave G. over the next week or so.  However,
my current thinking is along the following lines:

- someone will need to be found to support Figaro; any volunteers?

- I'm happy to continue to fix bugs in CAT/CURSA, but since this will be
  unofficial I'll only have a limited amount of time available, so there
  will need to be a `backup' support person in case an involved  bug comes
  along which I don't have time to fix.  This eventuality is a relatively
  unlikely as there aren't many CAT/CURSA bug reports.  Again, any
  volunteers?

- For the time being I'm happy to continue as minder for the Info. Services
  SSG, though we may need to revisit this (I'm assuming that the SSGs
  continue to meet).

- Someone else can take on the chore of organising all the SSG meetings.
  However, I don't think that the SSGs have worked at all well for some
  years, and they need at least an overhaul, if not abandoning.  All of
  which reminds me: Dave B. here is my periodic prod about the Spectroscopy
  SSG.

In my new capacity I don't anticipate going to many, if any, Starlink
meetings, though I'll remain subscribed to this list.  I'll be sorry to
leave the project after 10 years, and it was not through choice, of course,
though I'm very pleased to be continuing to work on AstroGrid.  So this
is not exactly goodbye, but I'll clearly be much less involved than
hitherto.  Best wishes in uncertain times,

regards,
Clive.

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Clive Davenhall                                      Institute for Astronomy,
e-mail (internet, JANET): acd @ roe.ac.uk        Royal Observatory Edinburgh,
fax from within the UK:   0131-668-8416            Blackford Hill, Edinburgh,
fax from overseas:     +44-131-668-8416                    EH9 3HJ, Scotland.