RasMol
RasMol[1] is a very popular, open-source macromolecular visualization stand-alone program, first released in 1993. From its release until 1999, nearly all of RasMol was written by Roger A. Sayle, initially while a student.
Public Domain RasMol (1993 - 2000)Public Domain RasMol (1993 - 2000)
Sayle released RasMol and its C source code into the public domain. From 1995-2000, the RasMol Classic Site, RasMol.MolviZ.Org (called the RasMol Home Page at that time), provided downloads, extensive documentation, tutorials, and RasMol Movie Scripts. This site supported public domain RasMol through its last release, version 2.6-beta-2a.
About 16,000 lines of the public domain source code of RasMol were adapted by MDL Information Systems to construct the web browser plugin Chime.
Sayle also created a proprietary version of RasMol capable of outputting stereolithograpy data which enables 3D printers to create solid physical molecular models (see 3DMolecularDesigns.Com).
The molecular visualization command scripting language developed by Sayle for RasMol was implemented and extended in Chime and Jmol.
Open Source RasMol (2000-present)Open Source RasMol (2000-present)
In 1999, after Sayle had largely stopped developing RasMol, and with Sayle's blessing, Herbert J. Bernstein[2][3] assumed development and support for RasMol, but under a strict GNU GPL (or similar) license. Subsequent releases of RasMol (versions 2.7.x) incorporate many substantial enhancements contributed by numerous programmers.
DownloadsDownloads
Downloads and documentation for open-source RasMol are available from RasMol.Org.
See AlsoSee Also
- RasMol.Org, open-source RasMol latest version and documentation.
- RasMol.MolviZ.Org, RasMol Classic (public domain version) site with extensive documentation for beginners, and reference documents on the command language that remain largely applicable to open-source RasMol.
- Roger Sayle's personal history of RasMol written in 1995 (at RasMol.MolviZ.Org).
- Molecular modeling and visualization software
- History of Visualization of Biological Macromolecules
ReferencesReferences
- ↑ RasMol: Biomolecular graphics for all, by Roger A. Sayle and E. James Milner-White, Trends in Biochemical Sciences 20(Sept):374-376, 1995. This is the primary citation for public-domain RasMol. Publications on RasMol for the prior and subsequent few years are listed at RasMol.MolviZ.Org.
- ↑ Bernstein + Sons.
- ↑ Herbert J. Bernstein, Professor of Computer Science, Dowling College, Oakdale NY.