[vtkusers] change-over to double

[John Biddiscombe]

You should always check the dashboard before doing any kind of cvs
update,a dn better still, check it every day so you know when lots of
things are happening. If you must use a cvs version, then subscribe to
the vtk-deveopers list so that announcements of this sort of change
propagate to yourself. Admittedly, none of us got much warning, but...

However, you should only be using the cvs HEAD if you really need to and
otherwise should stick to a stable version. Ken Martin got a few cross
words about not announcing enbough stable point releases. Attached below
is some text that may be of interest to you

Begin Ken Martins email of a few weeks ago.

-----
So here is the plan for handling VTK5 based on feedback we have received
so far. Since the transition to VTK5 will contain significant changes we
are creating a separate repository for VTK4 so that people who want to
move forward with VTK4 can do so. We have created VTK4 and VTK4Data CVS
repositories as:

cvs -d :pserver:yourname at www.vtk.org:/cvsroot/VTK co VTK4

cvs -d :pserver:yourname at www.vtk.org:/cvsroot/VTK co VTK4Data

These repositories are starting from the VTK 4.2.4 version of VTK and
are designed to make it easy for people to continue using VTK version 4
into the future. Between version 4.2.3 and version 4.2.4 we have added
some of the new functionality that is in the CVS version of VTK. This
VTK4 tree will be like a CVS version of VTK4.2 that people can do
development on (Kitware folks will stay out of this tree). Feel free to
try out the VTK4 repository and offer comments. 

The main CVS tree for VTK will be where the VTK5 development takes
place. It will be done in stages with intermediate releases such as 4.4,
4.6, 4.8, which will mainly be dividing points between key changes to
help people incrementally move to VTK 5.0.

The release-4-2 branch of the main VTK tree will also continue to exist
as the formal VTK 4.2 branch on which generally only bug fixes will be
made. I do not anticipate anyone but myself committing changes to the
release-4-2 branch of VTK. As additional bug fixes happen there may be a
4.2.5 release etc. I do not anticipate keeping the VTK4 tree and the VTK
4.2 branch in sync. Currently my view is that the VTK4 tree includes the
option for people to continue developing new classes etc. The vtk 4.2
branch is really only for bug fixes so the two trees will likely
diverge. 

I imagine that some of the existing VTK dashboards will become VTK4
dashboards so that we can have some continuing testing on that source
tree. My guess for now is that they will show up on the main VTK
dashboard much like the VTK 4.2 branch dashboards show up but a separate
dashboard could be created if people feel that is the way to go.

So in summary

1) VTK 5 soon to be developed on the main tree
2) VTK 4.2 release continues to be a branch on the main tree
3) VTK4 tree supports future development and expansion of VTK 4.2 for
those who don't want to go to VTK 5 but cannot stick with the 4.2
release  

Comments, Questions, Flames, etc ???

Thanks
Ken