DAMTP Computing News

SUMMARY: IDL 7.0.3 is now available for testing on Linux-x86, Linux-x86_64 platforms.

IDL version 7.0.3 has been installed for the Linux (sl5) machines, and so far those who have been testing it have reported no significant problems. The new commands are: idl70 idlde70 idldemo70 idlhelp70 idlman70 and idlrpc70

Commands without the 70 suffix still run the default IDL version 6.3. Please try the new version and notify help@damtp.cam.ac.uk if you encounter any problems. Unless serious problems are discovered and reported IDL 7.0.3 will become the default version of IDL in a couple of weeks - and older versions may be removed some time after that.

IDL is licenced partly by us paying the suppliers directly but mostly by a deal provided by STFC to support IDL use by STFC funded researchers.

Our current understanding of the arrangement suggests that we can also obtain a small number of IDL licences to STFC funded researchers for use on their own machines (e.g. laptops for use offsite, home machines etc).

If you are funded by STFC and would be interested in an IDL licence for such a machine please let us know. A similar arrangement is apparently available with some other funding bodies but so far we have only spoken to the suppliers about the STFC arrangement (was PPARC before of course).