Re: [idvusers] [idvdevelopers] Fwd: [thredds] GRIB variable name changes in 4.3

• To: Yuan Ho <yuanho@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
• Subject: Re: [idvusers] [idvdevelopers] Fwd: [thredds] GRIB variable name changes in 4.3
• From: Jeff McWhirter <jeffmc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
• Date: Mon, 27 Feb 2012 18:34:28 -0700

Yuan,
Please forward this to John and Ethan.

We have worked hard for 10 years to make sure that new versions of the IDV
are ALWAYS backward compatible with old bundles. If they make this change
to the way grib files are accessed than it will break any bundle that
accesses grib data (which, pretty much means any bundle that accesses
gridded data).

Furhtermore, names like "VAR_0-0-0_L6_I6_Hour_S194", are incomprehensible
to the end user and will also break many of the configuration settings in
the IDV (e.g., param defaults, aliases, etc)

As to the claim that Unidata has resource constraints:
"Hand maintaining GRIB tables is not a viable option due to resource
constraints."

I just have to say "really?". Unidata is one of the most software engineer
resource rich organizations in the geosciences. You can't find the time or
the staff to maintain a few grib tables?  I say hogwash.

-Jeff

• References:
  • [idvusers] Fwd: [thredds] GRIB variable name changes in 4.3
    • From: Yuan Ho