On Mon, 4 Sep 2006, David Berry wrote:

> > Everyone should be aware that full support, currently until summer 
> > 2006, can only be given to JAC users reducing JAC data.
> 
> A niggle. This could be read by the intellectually challenged as meaning
> that full support is available for everyone after summer 2006, not just
> JACH users. How about:
> 
> "Everyone should be aware that full support can only be given to JAC users
> reducing JAC data, and is only funded until summer 2006". 

OK, done that.

> Ah yes, and change "2006" to "2007".

Whoops, probably Freudian slip...

So here's the latest version. If that's OK, I'll mail it to Barry Smalley
in the morning, provided there's no response from JAC.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------


   Announcing the "Keoe" release of the Starlink Software Collection.
   ------------------------------------------------------------------

The Keoe(^) release of the Starlink Software Collection is the first major
release since spring 2004. This release has been produced by a community
effort lead by the Joint Astronomy Centre Hawaii, following the demise of
Starlink in June 2005.

The release contains numerous enhancement and fixes, with the latest
developments focused on JAC requirements.

Keoe is expected sometime in September 2006, and will consist of binary
releases for key operating systems, although it will also be possible to
download the tagged source files from the Starlink repository and build the
Starlink elements of the release. When ready announcements will be made on 
the STARLINK and STARMAN mailing lists.


   General changes
   ---------------

There have been many enhancements and fixes to the whole collection, including
the laborious transition (mainly done by Starlink) to a build system based on
using standard GNU autotools (configure, make) and movement of all sources to
a single, freely accessible, CVS repository. Other changes of note are that
applications now allow the ".sdf" file extension to be supplied, there is now
proper support for 64-bit applications and HDS has been changed to a new 
format that allows access to data in excess of 2Gb.


   Applications
   ------------

There are many changes to these, mostly supporting cube analysis, efficient
data access and maintainability. Packages with major changes are: KAPPA,
GAIA, CONVERT, DATACUBE, EXTRACTOR, SPLAT-VO and ORAC-DR.

The release will also include all previous major Starlink packages, required
by UKIRT and JCMT, i.e. FIGARO, POLPACK, CCDPACK, FLUXES, SPECX, SURF etc.,
but note it will not contain any software that depends on licensed libraries,
such as MEMSYS (e.g. KAPPA:MEM2D).

It will also include the complete STARJAVA set of applications and libraries,
notably TOPCAT v2.2-1, STILTS v1.2-1, SPLAT-VO & TREEVIEW (note that these are
snapshots of TOPCAT and STILTS, which will continue to observe their own
independent release schedules). In this release GAIA and TOPCAT are able to
interoperate with each other, and other VO-enabled applications using the
PLASTIC protocol.


   Libraries
   ---------

Two libraries have had major work, AST and HDS. As noted above HDS has had its
file format enhanced to include 64-bit data file and sizes support (the
existing format continues to be supported), a proper C interface has also been
introduced. AST has had a lot of major new classes added such as Frames for
describing time, dual-sideband spectra, and various flux systems. It also now
includes experimental support for representing IVOA Space-Time-Coordinate
regions, plus a variety of new Mappings.


   Available Distributions
   -----------------------

Pre-built releases will include:

   - 32-bit Linux
   - 64-bit Linux
   - Mac OS X PPC

There may also be a binary release for Solaris. The software is also known to
build and run on Tru64 UNIX and Cygwin.

The distributions will come in a single tarball for Linux/UNIX distributions
and a disk image for OS X. These will be rooted to the /star directory, so any
existing installation will need to be removed. The current tarballs are on the
order ~650MB, which give an unpacked tree of roughly 1.75GB.

There is no upgrade path for this release so all obsolete packages will
finally be lost (although many of these are present in the CVS repository
applications/obsolete directory, for instance, CHART, IRCAMDR and IRAS90, 
some may build, but there are no plans to support any of these applications).


    Support
    -------

Everyone should be aware that full support can only be given to JAC users,
reducing JAC data, and is only funded until summer 2007. All others will be
supported at a best-efforts level during this time. Bug reports are welcome,
patches even more so, as the long-term future clearly depends on larger
contributions from a community of interested people.  All reports should be
made via the [log in to unmask] list. Developers should use the
[log in to unmask] list.


    Future releases
    ---------------

Further releases of the collection are anticipated to support JAC user
requirements, and will include any contributions and bug fixes.



(^) "Keoe" -- the Hawaiian name for Vega. It is pronounced keh-'oh-eh.