🚀 go-pugleaf

Andy and Brian, seems like we all discovered Khoros at the
same time.  I think the best strategy for bringing the
Khoros group up to speed on common data formats (in
particular HDF and netCDF) is to join the Consortium and
write jackets in conjunction with the Khoros folks.  This is
what I am hoping to do within NOAA.

I believe that your impression (Andy) of IDL and common
data formats does not match my experience.  Well over a
year ago I asked IDL (Stern) if they would support common
data format I/O.  The answer was definately NOT.  However,
after they saw the bandwagon marching past (and took our
jackets for netCDF/IDL conversion and your HDF/IDL software)
they now have joined the band.  Also, I know that our
netCDF/IDL jackets read the data into an IDL structure
(and I suspect that is also how the HDF/IDL jackets work)
so that you are doing a data conversion each and every
time you read data into IDL.  

Anyway, it was clear to me from the recent EOS/Pathfinder
meeting that neither HDF nor netCDF will be sufficient
for the Earth Observing System requirements for scientific
analysis and image processing.  I know that Brain needs
something asap because he is working on a pre-EOS
satellite (SeaWIFS, for ocean color) that will be launched
next summer.  I would strongly urge NASA JPL and NASA
Goddard to try joining the Consortium.  From my cursory
look at Khoros (I haven't really beaten on it yet) it is
far ahead of most packages.  I'm still looking for my socks,
since Khoros blew them off; it's cold here in Colorado.

John Bates, NOAA Climate Lab.