Which Version?!? +SIMPLIFIED+

[Captain Nephilim]

Sorry, I wish I were providing a simple explanation here, but I'm actually asking for one. I've been using Celestia for about a month or so, and have just very recently caught a bit of an addiction . . . have started to loose sleep.

Anyway.

I originally downloaded and installed the latest "official" version (Celestia 1.3.2) from the main Celestia web site. But after just a couple of days browsing and reading this forum (and more than a few painfully confused grimaces at confusing threads), I realized that many if not most of the people on this forum are using later versions and enjoying things like realistic binary star systems (Castor is a do-not-miss), more galaxies, and probably other things.

So I upgraded to 1.4pre6 when I discovered it. And copied the extras I still wanted to keep.

And now I notice there's also something called 1.4.0pre-FT1.2. I have no idea what the FT stands for, and have trouble figuring out how its related to prerelease 6. Is there any page which simply lists the history of Celestia versions, including the present?

And all along I get the impression from reading the luminous "old timers" here that the USS Celestia--a fine ship with a passionate crew--has no captain or heading.

So, my question: Which version of Celestia do the more experienced, established members of the community have installed on their systems?

Which version would you recommend?

Seriously, can anyone predict when the next "official" release will happen, whatever "official" means at this time, so that we can try and all get on the same page?

[jdou]

Hello Captain,

F means Fridger and T means Toti two eminents members of the Celestia community.
They start to improve Celestia with a lot of galaxies better rendered.
You can follow the birth of this nice version there:
http://www.shatters.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7945

So, the current "standard" version for Windows from Chris is the v1.4.0pre7 at this address:
http://www.shatters.net/~claurel/celestia/files/celestia-win32-1.4.0pre7.exe

The improved version for Windows from Friger and Toti is the 1.4.0pre-FT 1.2 at this address:
http://www.shatters.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8334&start=0

[ElChristou]

...Seriously, can anyone predict when the next "official" release will happen, whatever "official" means at this time, so that we can try and all get on the same page?

... mmmhhm ... let me have a look to my crystal ball ...
.. I.. see .. .
1.4..pre..7.... + .. 1.4..pre... F.. T... .. 1.2! = .. 1.4pre8!! yes that's it!

...and.. mmhmm... ...seems to be very soon...

Bye

[t00fri]

Hey Captain,

the story is relatively simple:

Chris Laurel, the "father" of Celestia had an "elusive period" during about 1 year, for reasons unimportant here. After a rather demoralizing time of stagnation, Toti and I decided to go on developing independently of Chris. From our hard work of about six months, the so-called Celestia-FT1.x x=0,1,2, releases emerged (F=Fridger, T=Toti), based on a lot of new code. The main new emphasis was on "mass rendering" of 10000+ galaxies from the most precise professional catalog of deep sky objects (revised NGC/IC catalog by Steinicke 2005).

However, after Chris reappeard quite recently on scene and notably asserted that it was unlikely he would disappear again in the near-future, Celestia-FT1.2 was merged completely into the official Celestia CVS archive.

We are now working hard to release as soon as possible a new official Celestia version, Celestia-1.4.0pre8. If you know how to compile code and if you are impatient, you may anytime build the latest program version from CVS . If not, just wait for another little while and you will be able to download the latest, greatest Celestia in ready to use form....

Bye Fridger

[Malenfant]

And presumably Pre8 will be the last prerelease before the official 1.4 release?

Because as it stands, for a long time the people on the forums have been way ahead of the 'casual downloaders' who just look at the website and grab the 1.3.2 release. It'd be nice if that was updated to a 1.4 finally.

[t00fri]

And presumably Pre8 will be the last prerelease before the official 1.4 release?

Because as it stands, for a long time the people on the forums have been way ahead of the 'casual downloaders' who just look at the website and grab the 1.3.2 release. It'd be nice if that was updated to a 1.4 finally.

Of course. Version 1.4.0pre8 is supposed to be a final test version before AT LAST 1.4.0 will come out.

Bye Fridger

[Captain Nephilim]

t00fri, jdou and others, thanks for the response! I'm feeling better already.

I'm now confident that I'm up-to-date with the kewl kids</snark>. I agree with Malenfant; we can't see version 1.4 soon enough.

[buggs_moran]

Hey Captain,

the story is relatively simple:

Chris Laurel, the "father" of Celestia had an "elusive period" ....

Bye Fridger

And I though we Americans were the sarcastic ones...