Gnuplot is a command-line driven interactive function plotting utility for UNIX, MSDOS, and VMS platforms. The software is copyrighted but freely distributed (i.e., you don't have to pay for it). 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.] Gnuplot handles both curves (2 dimensions) and surfaces (3 dimensions). Surfaces can be plotted as a mesh fitting the specified function, floating in the 3-d coordinate space, or as a contour plot on the x-y plane. For 2-d plots, there are also many plot styles, including lines, points, lines with points, error bars, and impulses (crude bar graphs). Graphs may be labeled with arbitrary labels and arrows, axes labels, a title, date and time, and a key. The interface includes command-line editing and history on most platforms. The new gnuplot user should begin by reading the general information available by typing `help` after running gnuplot. Then read about the `plot` command (type `help plot`). The manual for gnuplot (which is a nicely formatted version of the on-line help information) can be printed either with TeX, troff or nroff. Look at the docs/Makefile for the appropriate option. Help and Bug Reports Additional help can be obtained from the USENET newsgroup comp.graphics.gnuplot. This newsgroup is the first place to ask for routine help. It is is gatewayed to a mailing list info-gnuplot@dartmouth.edu. If you cannot obtain a USENET feed and wish to join the above mailing list (or get yourself off), mail to info-gnuplot-request@dartmouth.edu. Please do not ask to sign up if you can read comp.graphics.gnuplot. Note that since gnuplot has nothing to do with the GNU project, please don't ask them for help or information about gnuplot; also, please don't ask us about GNU stuff. There is another list specifically for documented bug reports and the submissions of fixes and modifications, bug-gnuplot@dartmouth.edu. To join this list send mail to bug-gnuplot-request@dartmouth.edu. "bug-gnuplot" is NOT an appropriate place to ask questions on how to solve a gnuplot problem or even to report a bug that you haven't investigated personally. It is far more likely you'll get the help you need for this kind of problem from comp.graphics.gnuplot. "bug-gnuplot" is appropriate for turning in a formal bug report that does not require timely action. In other words, if you spend time and investigate a bug, and especially if you fix a bug, then send it to bug-report and your fix will be considered for the next release of gnuplot. Fixes should be in ``diff -c'' format done against the most current official version of gnuplot or the latest alpha or beta release of the next version. All major modifications should include documentation and a demo file. Finally, it is much easier to integrate smaller stepwise modifications rather than one gigantic diff file which represented months of changes. All messages to bug-gnuplot should include the machine you are using, the operating system and it's version, plotting devices, and the version of gnuplot that you are running. Where to get updates to GNUPLOT Congratulations on getting this version of GNUPLOT! Unfortunately, it may not be the most recent version ("you never know where this version has been!"). You can be sure that it IS the most recent version by checking one of the official distribution sites, guaranteed to be kept up to date (of course, if you got this file from one of those sites, you don't need to check!). To hear automatically about future releases (and other GNUPLOT news), read the newsgroup comp.graphics.gnuplot. Failing that, send mail to info-gnuplot-request@dartmouth.edu to get on the (equivalent) mailing list. At the time of this writing, the following are the official distribution sites and transfer instructions. Note that prep.ai.mit.edu is NOT an official site, and may not be up to date. Also, comp.sources.misc is usually a month or so behind us. Date: Fri Aug 27 05:21:33 GMT 1993 Version: 3.5 In general, GNUPLOT 3.5 is available as the file gnuplot3.5.tar.Z. There will patches to bring 3.4 to 3.5 as well called gp34to35.shar.Z. (Version 3.3 was skipped because of possible confusion with the numerous BETA releases.) It will be made available to simtel20 and its mirrors in ZIP format, along with a DOS, MS-Windows 3.1 and OS/2 2.0 executables. Also, some sites will have gpdoc_ps.zip which contains PostScript versions of the manuals and tutorials. Please obtain gnuplot from the site nearest you. USENET users: GNUPLOT 3.5 will posted to comp.sources.misc. NORTH AMERICA: Anonymous ftp to ftp.dartmouth.edu (129.170.16.4) Fetch pub/gnuplot/gnuplot3.5.tar.Z in binary mode. Users without ftp capability can obtain it through a mail ftp server. Send a mail message saying 'help' to BITFTP@pucc.princeton.edu for instructions. For a uuencoded copy of the gnuplot sources (compressed tar file), send this message to BITFTP@pucc.princeton.edu: FTP FTP.DARTMOUTH.EDU UUENCODE USER ANONYMOUS CD pub/gnuplot BINARY GET gnuplot3.5.tar.Z QUIT AUSTRALIA: Anonymous ftp to monu1.cc.monash.edu.au (130.194.1.101). Fetch pub/gnuplot3.5.tar.Z in binary mode. EUROPE: Anonymous ftp to irisa.irisa.fr (131.254.2.3). Fetch pub/gnuplot3.5.tar.Z in binary mode. ---- DISCLAIMER - This product is not related in any way to Pixar or any other commercial venture.