Re: Molecular Visualization

 Your message dated: Tue, 02 Mar 93 13:23:57 CST
 > To whom it may concern:
 >
 >  I am looking for public-domain software for visualizing
 >  molecules and solids. I would like each atom to be
 >  represented by a sphere (preferably directionally
 >  shaded), and also to have the possibility of putting
 >  sticks between the spheres (ball-and-stick models)
 >  when I choose. Preferably, the software should run
 >  on SGI and IBM Risc machines with X-windows,
 >  but if it only runs on
 >  SGI machines that is still useful.
 >  Thank you,
 >  Anders Carlsson
 Take a look to SciAn, is a very nice (and free) scientific visualization
 package. It can do what you want and much more. From the README file:
 SciAn is a scientific visualization and animation program for Silicon
 Graphics and IBM RISC/Sytem 6000 workstations.  It was developed at the
 Supercomputer Computations Research Institute at Florida State University
 to help meet the daily visualization needs of our scientists.
 SciAn is primarily intended to do 3-D visualizations of data in an
 interactive environment with the ability to generate animations using
 frame-accurate video recording devices.  A user manual, on-line help, and
 technical notes will help you use the program.
 As a research institution, we have always relied upon the availability of
 free software to meet our needs, and we wanted to give something back to the
 research community in return.  For this reason, we are making SciAn
 available at no charge.
 SciAn currently runs on two platforms:
   1) Silicon Graphics 4D workstations
   2) IBM RISC/System 6000 workstations
 Beginning with version 0.60, SciAn should run on all Silicon Graphics Power
 Series, Personal IRIS, and Indigo workstations with Z-buffer capability.  It
 will not run on very old workstations, such as the 1000, 2000, and 3000
 series.
 SciAn will run only on IBM RISC/System 6000 workstations that have 3-D
 graphics accelerators that provide GL compatibility.  SciAn also requires
 a Z-buffer.  If there is any question about whether your hardware provides
 this, please get in touch with your system manager or IBM sales
 representative.  (IBM makes a bewildering variety of hardware, and I can't
 keep up, but the magic words are Z-buffer and 3-D GL compatibility.)
 On all workstations, SciAn ABSOLUTELY REQUIRES a Z-buffer.  If you try
 to run it on a workstation that does not have a Z-buffer, you will get
 strange results.
 You can get it from: ftp.scri.fsu.edu, look into the directory
 pub/SciAn/release,
 the last version is scian0742.tar.Z. The documentation is in
 pub/SciAn/documentation.
 Omar
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