Keywords: gildas-evolution

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# History

For completeness, here are some of the major upgrades in this software, with some of the key authors. Please note that the list is not exhaustive: it is intended to illustrate the diversity of contributors and complex history of the software. Dates are quite approximate too, since the list is reconstructed from non-ECC astronomer memory.

- Initial development of the SIC monitor and SAS program on a PDP 11-34, in 1983, using PDP Fortran-77 language, by S.Guilloteau and R.Lucas
- Development under VAX-VMS of the GTLIB low-level graphic library by P.Valiron. This was a vector library supporting Tektronix compatible devices and pen plotters.
- Development of the GREG program by S.Guilloteau and P.Valiron. The initial GREG program only knew about plotting 1-Dimensional data.
- Incorporation of 2-Dimensional data contour facility in GREG, and introduction of the (in)famous ``RGDATA'' format for maps.
- 1985: LAS is adopted as spectral line package for the 30-m.
- circa 1986 (?): definition of the Gildas IMAGE data format (GDF). Access to the GDF images uses VAX-VMS memory mapping technique.
- ibid: development of the GILDAS Tasks and of the VECTOR language. Initial code used the RDPAR package for the task parameters.
- 1987: development of the mathematical formula handling in SIC by T.Forveille
- 1988: development of the CLIC package for the Plateau de Bure interferometer by R.Lucas
- 1988: development of the OVERLAY bitmap display program, based on the proprietary bitmap.
- 1989: Development of the imaging tasks.
- 1991: Support of GDF images in SIC (command DEFINE IMAGE & DEFINE HEADER).
- 1991: Start conversion to UNIX. Discard the RDPAR
- 1991: Development of the GTVIRT graphic library, by P.Valiron R.Gras, P.Begou and co-workers. The GTVIRT graphic library supersedes the GTLIB library, offering structured plots, integrated bitmap and vector plots, colour handling, and X-Window support.
- 1992: End support for VMS. Numerous upgrades by S.Guilloteau, P.Monger, G.Duvert in the GTVIRT library.
- 1993: Development of the MAPPING program by S.Guilloteau
- 1994: Porting to 64 bit environment.
- 1994 (?): small SIC syntax modification in character string handling.
- 1994: Development of the NIC software for the MPIfR bolometer at the 30-m, by D.Broguiere and R.Neri. Introduction of shared memory for the NIC data set.
- 1995: Porting to MAC-OS operating system by P.Rabou
- 1996: Development of the X-Window interface of SIC by F.Badia.
- 1996-1997: Implementation of new imaging techniques by F.Gueth and K.Bouyoucef
- 1997: Porting to Windows-95 operating system.
- 1998: Generalized use of X-Window interfaces for Plateau de Bure calibration and imaging.
- 1998: Incorporation by G.Duvert of ``Structure''-like variables, which could simplify FITS interface.
- ...: ?

GILDAS is essentially coded in Fortran-77 (98 % of the code), with just a few C routines for system interface (including with the X-Window system).

Next: Evolution or Revolution ? Up: The future of the Previous: Introduction Contents