     [file version.texi not included]

NEWS in SINGULAR VERSION
************************

The current version VERSION is a pre-release to the new release series version 3-0.

Singular version 3 has a greater functionality and an improved architecture. Major new features are:

  * dynamic modules

  * non-commutative extension PLURAL

  * name spaces (package)

  * easy manipulation of rings (ringlist)

  * improved speed of maps (subst, map)

  * variant of Faugeres F4: slimgb.

  * improved factorization (integration of NTL, factorization over algebraic extensions, zeroset.lib)

  * improved gcd of polynomials (including bug fixes)

  * ports to more architectures including automatic building from source (fink on Mac, ebuild on Gentoo)

  * more help browser supported, user extendable (help.cnf)

  * many bugs fixed

Besides theses internal changes, Singular version 3 offers many new features and functionalities (which were partly already incorporated in the 2-0 series).

Factorizing algorithms revisited
================================

Starting with version 2-0-4, we use NTL (of Victor Shoup) for factoring univariate polynomials. The multivariate factoring code in libfac/factory does now also work over algebraic extension fields.

New SINGULAR libraries
======================

Reorganisation of libraries into "Categories".

control_lib
     algebraic analysis tools for System and Control Theory

mregular_lib
     procedures for computing the Castelnuovo-Mumford regularity

mprimdec_lib
     procedures for primary decomposition of modules

gmspoly_lib, gmssing_lib
     procedures for the Gauss-Manin connection of a singularity

Changes in SINGULAR libraries
=============================

Many procedures were moved into different libraries, the documentation of libraries was generally improved.

New SINGULAR functions
======================

ringlist

slimgb

SINGULAR functions whose syntax/semantics has changed
=====================================================

degree
     outputs degree and dimension instead of returning an int

attrib
     new attribute: rowShift

Noncommutative Extension PLURAL
===============================

Starting with version 3-0-0, SINGULAR features a noncommutative extension PLURAL. It allows to set and to compute within noncommutative algebras with PBW basis. Among available algorithms are Groebner bases for left modules, syzygies and resolutions.

Together with PLURAL come the following libraries:

center_lib
     computes generators of the center and centralizer subalgebras up to a given degree resp. up to a given number of generators

involution_lib
     determines linear antiautomorphisms (involutions) and automorphisms

gkdim_lib
     computes a Gel'fand-Kirillov dimension for modules

ncalg_lib
     includes ready-to-use funtions for defining many important noncommutative algebras

ncdecomp_lib
     computes a decomposition of module by its central characters

ncalg_lib, nctools_lib
     contain numerous useful tools for noncommutative algebras

qmatrix_lib
     procedures, related to quantum matrices and minors

Internal Changes
================

new mapping code

factory revisited

Porting
=======

  * Singular is available for ix86-Linux, HPUX_9, HPUX_10, SunOS-4, SunOS-5, IRIX-6, ix86-Win (runs on Windows 95/98/NT4/2000/XP), FreeBSD, MacOS X, DecAlpha-Linux, x86_64-Linux (AMD64/Opteron/EM64T), IA64-Linux