beta-version of ADDA (1.3b4) is available

[Maxim Yurkin]

Dear ADDA users,

On behalf of ADDA contributors I would like to bring your attention to the beta-version of ADDA (1.3b4). It has two
exciting new features:
* Rigorous treatment of particles near the infinite plane surface with full 3D-FFT acceleration.
* Use of point-dipole incident field, which enables calculation of dipole decay-rate enhancement.

An extensive changelog is available at doc/history. If you would like to test these new features and/or use it in your
research, please download the ADDA package (both main package and, if needed, executable for 32- and 64-bit Windows)
from: http://code.google.com/p/a-dda/wiki/Downloads (mind that the latter address is different from the one used
previously).

This version has recieved a standard (large) amount of pre-release testing, so it is, in principle, ready for production
runs. Moreover, both new features were tested against alternative methods/implementations. See, e.g.,
http://code.google.com/p/a-dda/wiki/ComparisonOtherCodes#Particles_near_surface . But we decided to make a beta-release,
since we want to finish a few minor things before the final release and to collect your feedback on the new features.
Also, we do not recommend you to upgrade to the new version unless you plan to use new features.

Development of ADDA has always relied on feedback of users. But now we specifically ask for your opinion. Not only on
the correctness of the implementation (whether ADDA agrees with other methods), but also on the clarity of the manual,
wiki page, and used definitions, as well as on the convenience of using the new features. Overall, it would be great if
you can use the new features in the production (research) workflow and suggest how to improve user's experience.

Your feedback is welcome either at the discussion group - adda-d...@googlegroups.com , or directly at the issue
tracker, e.g.
http://code.google.com/p/a-dda/issues/detail?id=101
http://code.google.com/p/a-dda/issues/detail?id=149

Finally, please note that ADDA is an open-source project which development relies on the community around it. There are
many ways to help:
* Using ADDA and advocating its use through publications and conference presentations. Please also consider citing the
papers from the list http://code.google.com/p/a-dda/wiki/References .
* Active participation in the discussion group - http://groups.google.com/group/adda-discuss , in particular, sharing
your experience with other users.
* Commenting and improving wiki pages ( http://code.google.com/p/a-dda/w/list ) and other documentation.
* Locating bugs and proposing new features for ADDA, using the issue tracker - http://code.google.com/p/a-dda/issues .
* Contributing and improving the source code - http://code.google.com/p/a-dda/wiki/InstructionCommitters .

Best regards,
Maxim Yurkin.