[newsletter masthead]

[dragon masthead]

No. 48 - November 28, 1995

Contents

Icon Documentation on the Web

The Icon Newsletter now is available on the World Wide Web. To view it, connect to the Icon home page:

http://www.cs.arizona.edu/icon/www/

and select the link to the Icon Newsletter. You'll find the current newsletter and recent back issues. From the Icon home page, you'll also find links to other useful information, such as an Icon tutorial provided by John Shipman at New Mexico Tech, a FAQ (frequently asked questions), ordering information, an order form, access to FTP for downloading, and information about the Icon Analyst. Information about the Analyst includes a sample copy, contents of past issues, and a permuted index of topics.

When future newsletters are available, we will post notices to the comp.lang.icon newsgroup and our own icon-group mailing list.

Incidentally, one benefit of publishing the Newsletter on the Web is that we can provide color images. Check out the images of student programs from the graphics programming course described in Newsletter 47 and the kaleidoscope application in Newsletter 46.

Recent newsletters, a sample copy of the Analyst, and some other documents are also available in Adobe's portable document format in our FTP area. Look for the suffix .pdf in the doc directory.

Icon Newsletter Subscriptions

This is the 48th issue of the Icon Newsletter that has been sent, free-of-charge, to anyone who asked for it.

The cost of preparing, printing, and mailing the Newsletter has been supported, in large part, by sales of Icon material.

As more and more persons have acquired access to on-line material, downloads have soared, but sales have dropped off.

We've reached the point where we no longer are able to provide printed copies of the Newsletter free of charge. As described in the previous article, we've put the Newsletter on the Web in hopes that most current subscribers can get it that way.

For those who can't get the Newsletter on the Web or who just prefer a paper copy, there now is a nominal subscription charge. To minimize bookkeeping, we're providing an on-going subscription to the Newsletter for a one-time charge of $20. This fee covers subscription to the Newsletter as long as it's published, until you tell us you no longer want it, or we no longer can locate you.

We'll also provide printed copies at no charge to subscribers to the Icon source-code updates, the program library updates, and the Analyst.

Others who want to receive paper copies of the Newsletter must subscribe and pay the subscription fee. You can use the Icon order form.

There will be no follow-up; if you do not pay the subscription fee or qualify for a free subscription, this is the last Newsletter you'll receive.

Status Report

Version 9.1 of Icon

Version 9.1 of Icon contains several improvements to Icon's graphics facilities, improvements to the implementation, and bug fixes.

Version 9.1 presently is available for UNIX platforms. Executable files for some platforms as well as the complete system, which includes source code, documentation, the Icon program library, and other files can be downloaded by anonymous ftp to ftp.cs.arizona.edu. For the executable files, cd /icon/binaries/unix and see what's there. For the complete system, cd /icon/packages/unix and get unix_tar.Z or unix_tar.gz.

Icon for Microsoft Windows

Version 9.1 of Icon for Windows now is in beta testing. This implementation requires a 386 or higher processor, 8 MB of RAM, and Windows 3.1 or higher.

This beta-test version is available by anonymous FTP to ringer.cs.utsa.edu; cd to pub/icon/nt/graphics and copy all of the files there. READ.ME contains instructions for installation.

You also can get these files by anonymous FTP to ftp.cs.arizona.edu; cd /icon/beta/windows.

Feedback about Windows Icon should be addressed to its implementor, Clint Jeffery, at jeffery@ringer.cs.utsa.edu.

Icon for the Macintosh

Charles Richmond has taken over the Macintosh implementation of Version 9 of Icon that was started by one of Clint Jeffery's students.

It's too early yet to predict when something will be ready for release.

Icon Program Library

Version 9.1 of the Icon program library now is available and can be downloaded via anonymous FTP to ftp.cs.arizona.edu; cd /icon/library and get the READ.ME there.

Note: Some graphics applications in the 9.1 library require Version 9.1 of Icon.

News and Notes

CBI Web Site

The Web site for the Charles Babbage Institute has changed. It's now 
http://cbi.itdean.umn.edu/cbi/welcome.htm

SNOBOL and Icon Archives at CBI

We have sent CBI more of our archives related to the SNOBOL and Icon programming languages, and we'll continue to send more as we have time. If you're interested in this material, contact the CBI archivist, Bruce Bruemmer: 
Bruce@fs1.itdean.umn.edu

(612)-624-5050

Icon USENET Readership

According to Brian Reid's USENET Readership Survey, an estimated 16,000 persons worldwide read the comp.lang.icon newgroup.

Technical Support

Our capacity for providing technical support is limited. It will help us if you use the appropriate resource when you need assistance. Please keep the follow list handy for reference.

Ordering Icon Material 
mail:   Icon Project
        Department of Computer Science
        The University of Arizona
        P.O. Box 210077
        Tucson, Arizona 85721-0077
        U.S.A.

fax:    (520) 621-4246
voice:  (520) 621-6613
e-mail: icon-orders@cs.arizona.edu
Getting On-Line Information and Material 
web:    http://www.cs.arizona.edu/icon/www/
ftp:    ftp.cs.arizona.edu (cd /icon)
e-mail: ftpmail@cs.arizona.edu
        Send a message consisting of the word help.
Assistance with Installing Icon 
e-mail: icon-project@cs.arizona.edu
Bug Reports 
e-mail: icon-project@cs.arizona.edu
fax:    (520) 621-4246
Assistance with Programming Problems 
e-mail: icon-group@cs.arizona.edu
news:   comp.lang.icon
Uploading Files 
ftp:    ftp.cs.arizona.edu (cd /incoming)
        After uploading, send e-mail to icon-project@cs.arizona.edu.

Thank You

We would like to thank all of you who have made contributions to support the Icon Project. These contributions have kept us afloat.

We hope you will continue to contribute from time to time. Small contributions add up; don't hesitate to add just a dollar or two when ordering Icon material.

All contributions receive an acknowledging letter of appreciation.

View from the Icon Project

The Icon Project is the name we use to identify Icon-related activities in the Department of Computer Science at The University of Arizona. It's not an actual organization, just a useful label.

The Department of Computer Science occupies the seventh floor of the Gould-Simpson building. The building, built in 1986, is named after two famous University of Arizona scientists, Laurence Gould, a geologist and Antarctic explorer, and George Gaylord Simpson, one of the founders of modern evolutionary theory.

The photograph below shows the view to the north from the Department of Computer Science -- looking out over the campus to the Santa Catalina mountain range in the distance.

[view from Icon Project]

Graphics Credits

The photograph above was taken by Vint Blackburn and enhanced in Adobe Photoshop.

The graphics below and at the end of this Newsletter were done in Adobe Photoshop using Kai's Power Tools.

[Icon design]

Ordering Icon Material

For information about subscribing to the Analyst and ordering Icon program material and documentation, check out ordering instructions. An order form also is available.

[Icon design]
© Copyright 1995 by Madge T. Griswold and Ralph E. Griswold. All rights reserved.
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