Announcing Ferret V5.0 (beta) on Solaris, Linux, and DEC (Compaq)

[Steve Hankin <hankin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

*** Ferret V5.0 (BETA) Available on Solaris, Linux, and DEC (Compaq) ***

Ferret version 5.0 (beta 1.1), with many powerful new features, is now
available for download and installation. Instructions are available at
the URLs below. The Ferret Web pages
(http://ferret.wrc.noaa.gov/Ferret/) will serve as your guide to the new
features of V5 (see What's New and Documentation)

The Windows NT/9X versions, as well as WebFerret, will follow shortly.
We will be working with volunteers at other sites to assist with the
ports of V5 to SGI, HP, and IBM/AIX. If you would like to volunteer to
help with these or other ports, please contact us at
ferret@pmel.noaa.gov.

Here are the highlights of V5:

   o Access to many gigabytes of remote data at NOAA/CDC, NASA/JPL, FSU,
     URI/GSO and elsewhere -- satellite data bases, operational model
     outputs, reference climatologies, etc. (see dods_demo)

   o An "external functions" framework allows you to add your own code
     into Ferret at runtime. It also allows Ferret to integrate with
     MATLAB, IDL, Vis5D, and the like. (see external_functions_demo)

   o New routines for sorting, sampling, gridding of scattered data,
     FFTs, etc.

   o New graphics techniques for visualizing scattered data and handling
     polygonal data sets (see trackline_demo, polymark_demo, and
     polytube_demo)

   o A broad array of map projections and new options for
     color palettes and hatch patterns in 2D plots (see mp_demo,
     pattern_demo, and palette_demo)

   o Access to Ferret from Web browsers (WebFerret -- available soon)

   o Faster graphics, IO, and computation ...

	Happy Ferreting -- the Ferret developers

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Web download:
http://ferret.wrc.noaa.gov/Ferret/

ftp download:
ftp://ferret.wrc.noaa.gov/pub/