[EMBOSS] EMBOSS 2.9.0 released

[Alan Bleasby]

This email announces the release of EMBOSS 2.9.0; the traditional St
Swithin's Day release prior to the ISMB conference. Many of the EMBOSS
developers will be at ISMB. There will be an EMBOSS talk at BOSC,
three related ISMB demonstrations (EMBOSS, JEMBOSS and Taverna) and
we'll be present at the poster session. We hope to see you there.

EMBOSS 2.9.0 can be downloaded via the new web site (emboss.sf.net)
which we encourage people to start using. At present the download will
be directed to the RFCGR ftp server; this will be changed. The old web
site (www.rfcgr.mrc.ac.uk/Software/EMBOSS) will be removed within the
year. Please note that the emboss.org domain has never been owned by
the EMBOSS core developers so we have no control over any popups
appearing on that site.

As usual the changes appear in the ChangeLog file. A
major feature of this release is extensive modifications to ACD and
the libraries as part of the development of an EMBOSS ontology. This
is to allow future provision of workflow analysis.

The EMBASSY packages can now be compiled and linked against an
installed version of EMBOSS. There is no need to retain the EMBOSS
sources. This can be done from any directory. You just need to provide
an appropriate --prefix= option to the configure command. The only
exception is if you have installed EMBOSS in /usr/local/bin and
associated directories.  In this one case you must give the
--enable-localforce option to your EMBASSY configure command as
well. This does not apply to, for example, installations into
/usr/local/emboss or any other directory hierarchy under /usr/local
(the --prefix= option is enough). Older downloads of the EMBASSY
packages will not work with 2.9.0; you should download them again.

The decision of the MRC to close the RFCGR (see appended URL) has
delayed the completion of several improvements (e.g. indexing, the new
graphics library and the ACD ontology). We hope to get these out in
the next release. We are, however, still seeking alternative sources
of funding so it would therefore be unwise for us to give any firm
assurances.

Alan

For the official MRC announcement of the closure of the RFCGR see:
http://www.mrc.ac.uk/index/public-interest/public-council_meetings/
public-council_meetings_2003-04/public-council_meetings_31_mar04/
public-council_meeting_31_mar04_note.htm