Dec. 3, 2003

We're now in a position to more definitely predict when the v1.50 update
will begin shipping. For those who've been wondering, our beta testers
haven't been wringing out just one beta supplied to them many months ago...
there has been a cycle of coding, testing, re-coding and re-testing. And all
the while we've been squeezing in as many little enhancements as possible.
As our current test cycle is nearing completion, we expect to begin shipping
v1.50 next week.

It's very heartening to read your supportive comments. We're a small company
striving to make a good product. Having to build Desktop Universe from the
ground up means that its capabilities will necessarily take time to build
upon and improve. We appreciate your patience.

With a year having gone by since v1.10 was released, it can be appreciated
that v1.50 is more than a minor update. The primary effort was devoted to
speeding up program execution. To this end, the object databases and their
handling were completely overhauled, and several optimizations in the
program code were made. In addition to bug fixes and minor changes too
numerous to mention, here is a list of the more significant fixes and
enhancements:

- The program runs at least 3-4X faster (and more so for certain
operations), and now requires 128MB instead of the 256MB previously.

- Major changes were made to the catalog search interface. Now find any
object by any of its IDs in our databases (except Tycho-only stars). You can
limit your search by ID type (e.g., NGC, PGC, LBN, etc.).

- Except for Tycho- and PGC-only objects, it is possible to label all
deep-sky objects, provided the current magnitude limits are set faint
enough. Moreover, labels are selected by object type, i.e., open clusters,
galaxies, etc, not by ID type as was previously done.

- Only an object's most commonly used name is displayed as its label (e.g.,
M57 instead of NGC6720). Multiple labels are no longer simultaneously drawn
(less clutter).

- The densities of plotted stars, DSO symbols and their labels for all FOV
sizes were improved.

- Incorporated the updated variable star catalog (GCVS).

- Plotted stars are given a color based on B-V index.

- Double stars from the Hipparcos catalog have horizontal bars drawn through
their plotted symbols.

- The All Labels and Plotted Sky buttons no longer filter constellation
lines, boundaries or labels.

- Solar system objects are no longer filtered by the Plotted Sky button.

- The target reticle now centers on each object in the sky display when
selected from the tabbed entries in the Info Box.

- The Status Bar displays the actual star/DSO magnitude limits as FOV
changes, instead of the fixed maximum magnitude limits as set by the user.

- The Status Bar displays Alt/Az in decimal degrees, not sexagecimal as
before.

- Added Slew Scope and Sync Scope buttons to the Find Object dialog.

- Constellation lines and large nebula outlines which go off screen are now
handled properly.

- Nebula outlines are always drawn and printed at full resolution, instead
of being drawn at lower resolutions for wide FOVs as was done previously.

- The minimum size for DSO symbols in printouts has been reduced.

- Comet and minor planet file importation and entering of individual orbital
elements now works properly.

- Predicitions of comet tail lengths and coma diameters are now dynamically
calculated from formulae, and are drawn appropriately in the sky display and
values reported in the Info Box. (However, symbol sizes do not go below a
set minimum.)

- ASCOM 3.0 is installed, as opposed to 2.2 previously.

- Some factory default settings were changed.

- If you click on the splash page it will close.

There is much more remaining on our list to tackle! But subsequent updates
in the version 1 series should all be small enough for easy download from
our web site.

Glenn LeDrew
Main-Sequence Software
http://www.main-sequence.com