Scilab 5.0 Beta Release_Notes
                      ==============================

Please note that Scilab 5.0 Beta version still contains some well known bug,
messing features and may have some slow behaviours.
It is a testing only version, it should only be used to test what will be
Scilab 5 family and not at all in production environment.
The period between the beta and the stable versions will mainly be used to
debug and optimize Scilab.

List of missing/buggy features:


- Uicontrols ascendant incompatibilities:
    * Figure size has to be increased beacause of the automatic insertion of
      a menubar and the height of the docking bar.
    * Popup uicontrols width has to be increased because of the little triangle
      used to select a new value.

- Graphics know bugs
    * Graphic rendering is slower in a large graphic window than in a small one.
    * Legend and labels might be misplaced.
    * Text object space management.
    * Rendering is slow or not functional on some
      computer / graphic card / graphic card driver combination.
      Errors often appear on ATI and Intel cards under Linux and also with 
      old Nvidia drivers.
    * Sgrayplot display might be corrupted.
    * The Symbol font is not compatible with the one used in Scilab 4.


- It is strongly recommended to update graphic cards drivers to the latest revision:
    * For ATI cards: http://ati.amd.com/support/driver.html
    * For Intel cards: http://www.intel.com/support/graphics/
    * For Matrox cards: http://www.matrox.com/mga/support/drivers/certified/home.cfm
    * For NVIDIA cards: http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp
    * For S3 cards: http://www.s3graphics.com/en/resources/drivers/index.jsp  
    * For SiS cards: http://www.sis.com/download/
    * For VIA cards: http://www.viaarena.com/default.aspx?PageID=2


- Scicos:
    * The basic features of the editor are fully functional and tested.
    * The Scicos simulation engine is correcly working (interactive and
      "scicos_simulate()" batch mode)
    * All the demos are now active (see "?"->"Demos") 
      BUT ...
        * The TCL/TK functions are still "passive" (visualized but not working)
        * some mouse event are not handled properly (windows closing, drag block from palette)

- Name of the functions in "Genetic Algorithms" and Simulated Annealing" modules may change in the stable version


- Scipad debugger is not yet fully functional.


- Printing can crash under Linux plateforms with recent versions of Cups.


- Scilab localization system is implemented, however Scilab is not yet translated into French except menu labels.


- Dynamic/incremental link bugs on unusual archs/compiler or with modified flags and still have issues with the binary version of Scilab


- Some license issues have not been fixed.


- 64 bits and MacOS X versions have some critical bugs.


- EMF export is not available for this beta version


- Some Linux distributions with SELinux enabled may prevent Scilab from running
  under the default security context. Newer Linux distributions have enabled new 
  kernel security extensions from the SELinux project at the NSA. These  extensions
  allow finer-grained control over system security. However, SELinux also changes
  some default system behaviors, such as shared library loading, that can be
  problematic to third party programs.

  If you receive the error message:
  "cannot restore segment prot after reloc: Permission denied"
  when launching Scilab, then your SELinux configuration is preventing Scilab
  from launching.

  To rectify this issue, you can either:
    * Change the default security context for Scilab by issuing the command:
      chcon -t texrel_shlib_t <scilab_path>/thirdparty/java/lib/i386/server/libjvm.so
      chcon -t texrel_shlib_t ~/flexdock/RubberBand.so
    * Disabling SELinux altogether by setting the line
      SELINUX=disabled
      in your /etc/sysconfig/selinux file.

  For more information about SELinux, please consult your Linux distribution
  vendor.



Scilab 4.0 Release_Notes
***************************

- Next to the on line help of the software, we advise you, to make
the first move with Scilab, to consult the Scilab step-to-step web site
(http://www.spas.cnrs-gif.fr/index.html).

- Please note that:
    - Scilab 4.x versions family will be the last versions working
with the old graphics mode.
    - Scilab v 4.0 is the last release working with Microsoft
Windows 98 and Microsoft Visual 6.0 (compilation, not incremental link)
supported by Scilab operational team.

- Scilab binary versions are built:
    - for Linux: gcc-3.4.3 and g77 compilers with a platform under
Mandriva 2005. No need to recompile except to use incremental link, we
advise indeed to download the source files if you are using others
compilers.
    - for Windows: Visual Studio .Net 2003 and Fortran and C Intel
compilers with a platform under Windows XP Service Pack 2 .
    - Recall: No Scilab GTK version is provided and supported by
the operational team. Same way about MinGW and Cygwin.