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diff --git a/kstars/ChangeLog b/kstars/ChangeLog new file mode 100644 index 00000000..5c2b696a --- /dev/null +++ b/kstars/ChangeLog @@ -0,0 +1,310 @@ +KStars Revision History + + 1.0 (Kornephoros): (* indicates to-be-done) +===================---------------------------------- + +Display Features: + +- Added Comets and Asteroids (numbers of each?). + +- Added Jupiter's Moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto + +- Added configurable "Target Indicator" at center of display. + + +Other Features: + +* Have any planetary body leave a trail as it moves across the sky. + +- Tag any named object with a name label (in popup menu) + +- High-quality printouts + +- "Default Zoom" menu item/toolbar button + + +Performance: + +- Rigorous performance profiling with valgrind has resulted in + sky-rendering times about half of what they were in 0.9.1 + +- Startup time has been greatly reduced by more efficient + algorithms to read in large data files. + + +New Tools: + +- Altitude vs. Time plotter + +- Light-curve Plotter for variable stars + +- Detailed Information Window has been greatly expanded; in addition + to presenting data about the object, it allows you to manage the + object's internet links, query professional astronomical databases, + and attach personalized text to the object's data record. + +* KStars script generator: a GUI to build KStars DCOP scripts. + + +Miscellany: + +- New KStars icon + +- Opening secondary KStars windows is finally stable + +- Expanded DCOP functionality; can now generate interesting + "demo movies" with KStars. + +- Delay "focus below horizon" popup window to avoid mysterious + exit condition. + +- Updated some inline object images + +* Expanded number of image/info links + +- KStars can now alternately use a localized list of internet links, + rather than the default which links to mostly English-only + websites. + +- We no longer support KDE 2.x + + + 0.9.1 (Indus): +===============-------------------------------------- + + This is a maintenance release; it contains all the feature + improvements we have made up to the KDE 3.1 feature freeze. + +- The Info Panel has been removed; in its place, we display the + time/geography/focus data directly on screen in three separate + "Info Boxes". These can be dragged around the window to any + position, and they "stick" to the window edges on resize events. + In addition, each box can be "shaded" (by double-clicking) + between a full mode, and a short mode, in which only one line of + information is shown. + +- New "Detailed Information" window displays name, position and other + information about any object in the sky. + +- Redesign of Time Step widget in the main toolbar. The new custom + widget renders properly in all widget styles and should function + more consistently. + +- ~50% improvement in sky-rendering speed due to code optimization + +- Improved display of angles as strings (use + degree/arcminute/arcsecond symbols instead of letters d,m,s). + +- More accurate Rise/Set/Transit times for planets + +- new AstroCalculator module: "Day Duration"...calculates time of + sunrise/sunset/noon as well as length of day and position of Sun + at these three times. + +- Added many locations to geographic database, including major + observatories. + +- More AstroInfo articles on on Blackbody Radiation, Parallax, + Stars, Star Colors, Dark Matter, and Elliptical Galaxies + +- Handling of Daylight Savings time (a.k.a. Summer Time) is more stable. + +- Many bugfixes, including some more memory leaks. + +- Various usability/stability improvements. + + +0.9 (Indus): +============-------------------------------------------- + +Display Features: +- Configurable InfoPanel: can choose to show parts of infopanel, or hide + it all. + +- We now show the sky "slewing" to a new position, instead of "snapping" + immediately to the new position. You can turn this off in the options. + +- Added planet name labels + +- Planets drawn with more realistic angular sizes and position angles + +- The NGC/IC catalogs are now complete (13,000 deep sky objects; the old + version had ~10,000). In addition, the new catalog has more precise + coordinates. + +- Deep sky objects drawn with correct angular size and position angle + (including images) + +- Added many more zoom levels + +- KDE3 automatically alpha-blends the planet, Messier, and star bitmaps + in the sky map + +- KStars can spawn multiple windows. Use this with caution; it isn't + stable yet! + +- Added View Options toolbar, which provides buttons to toggle the display + of major sky features (stars, constellations, planets, deep sky obj., + coordinate grid, and horizon) + +- Added Advanced tab to Configuration window + + +Other Features: +- Can now add custom object catalogs! + +- Manual focus function (you enter exact coordinates to center on). + +- Added AstroCalc calculator window + +- Added wider range of timesteps + +- Time can now run backwards + +- Added Daylight Savings Time rules + +- Added DCOP interface, which will form the foundation of our scriptable + behavior features. + +- Can zoom with the mouse wheel, or by dragging with the middle mouse + button. + +- new "Advanced" Options tab for tweaking behaviors such as atmospheric + refraction correction, hiding objects while moving, and animated slewing + +- Preliminary Print function (does not work well yet) + +- "Tip of the Day" window + + +Calculation Accuracy: +- More accurate Planet positions: now properly include aberration, + nutation, light travel time delay. Planet positions are updated + more often. + +- Atmospheric refraction: in Alt/Az mode, we include the effect of our + atmosphere, which bends light that passes through it, slightly altering + the positions of objects in the sky. + +- rewrote time handling code; simulation time is now kept by a separate + class. + + +Performance: +- Using a memory cache for object images, which greatly reduces CPU load + when object images are on-screen. + +- rewrite of splashscreen/data loading procedure to be more efficient. + +- Find Object (by Name) function is faster + +- clicking on the map to identify an object is more intelligent when + several objects are near the clicked location (it prioritizes the + selection by object type). + + +Code Structure: +- major code overhauls to improve performance and memory usage + +- Improved OOP code structure (classes are more independent; and + have private data). + +- Planet data stored in a hierarchy of classes. + +- the information panel is now its own class + +- using XMLGUI to describe menu and toolbar structure + +- Menus conform to the standard KDE structure + + +Several bugfixes, including some crash conditions. + + +0.8 (Hydra): +============----------------------------------------------- + +Sky display: Milky Way is now filled. Added coordinate grid. + Reorganized "colors" tab in options window. Added options to + show constellation names in native language, or as official IAU + abbreviations. Popup menu now shows Rise/Set times of the object. + Added "genetive" star names (e.g., "alpha Orionis"). Added + keyboard shortcuts to center on planets, and on cardinal direction + points along the horizon (N, S, E, W). + +Customization: Ability to add custom geographic locations, custom + URLs, and custom color schemes. Added "star chart" predefined + color scheme. + +Geographic locations: Added about 80 non-US cities to locations + database. Improved determination of a location's time zone. + Added optional "Province" field to geolocation database. + +Documentation: Updated Handbook. Added AstroInfo articles to the + Handbook. Added toolbar button to launch handbook browser + +Performance: +- Improved memory handling (unused objects are not loaded into + memory on startup). + + +0.7 (Gemini): +=============------------------------------------------------ +Added realistic star colors. +Added ability to provide custom image and information links. +Most Messier objects now shown as inline images directly on the sky map. +Expanded number of internet links. +Added Pluto. +Added Milky Way countour. +Added spectral type of stars to popup menu. +Automated object tracking when an object is centered. +Display name and coordinates of centered object in the infoPanel. +Fixed "extra layout" error messages. +Improved efficiency of KSPlanet::findPosition(). +Initial startup parameters make more sense. +If focus point is below horizon when KStars restarts, a warning message + is triggered. Also, if it is shut down while tracking an object, it + will still be tracking when restarted. +Choose latin or localized constellation names. +Various bug fixes and minor improvements. + + +0.6 (Fomalhaut): +================-------------------------------------------- +Added the moon, with phases. +Reorganized the InfoPanel widget (and painted it black). +The sky map now stretches when the window is resized. +Improved startup speed and vastly improved speed of the "Find Object" + function. + +0.5 (Enif): +===========------------------------------ +Added Sun and all planets except Pluto. +Reorganized view options dialog. +Added Splash Screen, with loading messages. + +0.4 (Deneb): +============----------------------------- +Added customizable display options, including color palette. +Implemented Alt/Az Coordinate system. +Added optional opaque horizon. +Expanded star catalog. +Deep-sky objects symbols indicate object type, and color indicates catalog. +Added NGC/IC catalog. +Added links to HST press release images. +Added Find-by-name function. +Updated documentation. + +0.3 (Castor): +=============---------------------------- +added Messier objects, constellation lines, image downloads, +drag sky w/ mouse. + +0.2 (Betelgeuse): +=================---------------- +added global coverage to city database + +0.1 (Altair): +=============-------------------- +first public release + |