Gnuplot 3.5 Release Notes


Table of Contents

  • What is Gnuplot
  • Support Policy
  • Silicon Graphics Legal Notice
  • Installation Information
  • Documentation Information

  • What is Gnuplot

    Gnuplot is a command-line driven interactive function plotting utility. It was originally intended as graphical program which would allow scientists and students to visualize mathematical functions and data. Gnuplot supports many different types of terminals, plotters, and printers (including many color devices, and pseudo-devices like LaTeX) and is easily extensible to include new devices. [The "GNU" in gnuplot is NOT related to the Free Software Foundation, the naming is just a coincidence (and a long story). Thus gnuplot is not covered by the Gnu copyleft, but rather by its own copyright statement, included in all source code files.]

    Author's Notice

    The original authors of Gnuplot are Thomas Williams and Colin Kelley, with additions by Russell Lang, Dave Kotz, John Campbell, Gershon Elber, Alexander Woo, and many others. None are responsible for SGI additions and modifications to gnuplot. The gnuplot home page can be found here.

    The original distribution of Gnuplot 3.5 is subject to the following Copyright:


    Copyright (C) 1986 - 1993   Thomas Williams, Colin Kelley
    
    Permission to use, copy, and distribute this software and its
    documentation for any purpose with or without fee is hereby granted,
    provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies and
    that both that copyright notice and this permission notice appear
    in supporting documentation.
    
    Permission to modify the software is granted, but not the right to
    distribute the modified code.  Modifications are to be distributed
    as patches to released version.
    
    This software is provided "as is" without express or implied warranty.
    

    Installation Information

    Gnuplot Subsystems

    fw_gnuplot.sw.gnuplot
    Contains the core Gnuplot software; essential to run Gnuplot.
    fw_gnuplot.man.manpages
    Contains preformatted, on-line pages for use with man(1).
    fw_gnuplot.man.relnotes
    Contains these SGI release notes in html format; they can be read with an HTML viewer like xmosaic or netscape.
    fw_gnuplot.man.docs
    Contains Gnuplot documentation. Postscript-formatted files can be read with a Postscript viewer like ghostview, ghostscript, or xpsview.
    fw_gnuplot.src.gnuplot
    Contains complete source code to Gnuplot 3.5 plus SGI additions.

    Installation Method

    All of the subsystems for this product can be installed using IRIX. You do not need to use the miniroot. Refer to the Software Installation Administrator's Guide for complete installation instructions.

    Configuration

    The environment variable GNUTERM specifies the default type of output device; gnuplot defaults to X11, which is adequate for most interactive uses.

    Compatibility

    This software is compatible with IRIX 5.3 and IRIX 6.1.

    Documentation Information

    The Gnuplot manual documents this package in detail. Additionally, the gnuplot manual page can be read by typing "man gnuplot".

    A document describing how to use Gnuplot with LaTeX can be found here.

    The USENET news group comp.graphics.gnuplot covers this program.

    A list of frequently asked questions about gnuplot, with answers, is maintained. A static version of the list, perhaps a little out of date, is included with this distribution.