Astrolog
Encyclopedia
Astrolog is an astrology
software program
that has been available online free of charge since 1991. It was originally authored by Walter Pullen, and distributed via postings to the Usenet
newsgroup [news:alt.astrology alt.astrology].
Astrolog can create horoscope
s, natal chart
s, and calculate current planetary positions in sidereal, traditional, and heliocentric formats. It can be used to relate astrological house and sign dispositors and other nonstandard systems. Astrolog uses 14 different house systems
, can calculate 18 different aspects
such as trines, squares, semisquares, and rarer ones such as biquintiles, quatronoviles, and sesquiquadrates. Astrolog computes the traditional planets, along with minor planetary objects
such as Ceres, Juno and Vesta, and uranian objects
such as Vulkanus and Russian Proserpina. It can show nearly 50 fixed stars, and animate the chart in real time synchronized with the OS clock. Astrolog can do forms of locational astrology such as astrocartography
. http://www.astrocartographyinfo.com/astrocartography_DIY.html
Astrolog's source code
is available at its official website, although it is not free software
, because users are not permitted to "sell, restrict, or profit from" it. Several different parties have contributed to the core program or to alternate versions of it. For example, Astrolog started with the early astrological formulas implemented by Michael Erlewine
. Later versions of it made use of the Placalc and then Swiss Ephemeris libraries produced by Astrodienst AG. http://astrolog.offline.ee/astrolog/changed/changed.shtml Other parties contributed PostScript
graphics, and integerated ephemeris files for minor planetary objects. Astrolog has been ported to many different platforms, where versions exist for Unix
, MS-DOS
, Microsoft Windows
, Macintosh
, and OS/2
, among others. http://cosmicledger.com/software/astrolog/http://www.paganlink.org/library/astrology/kastrolog.html Astrolog is also distributed as a sample program with versions of SUSE Linux.
Most consider Astrolog to rival commercial programs in quality. In November 1995, The Mountain Astrologer
reviewed a number of software programs, where Astrolog was the one freeware program included, described as "good enough to be worthy of review with the main commercial programs". In the 1990s, Astrolog was mentioned a number of times in American Astrology's "The New Astrology" article by Ken Irving, because at the time it was the only readily available program that could compute Gauquelin sectors as described by Michel Gauquelin
. http://www.planetos.info/software.html
All versions of Astrolog include a command line interface. Most criticism of the program is due to command switches being confusing to memorize or use. Windows and Macintosh versions eventually included standard GUI
. The command switch interface allows all of Astrolog's features to be accessed from shell scripts or to be invoked by other programs. There are a number of online servers
that use Astrolog as a back end to generate charts for the user. http://www.zodiacal.com/chart.htm
Astrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
software program
Astrology and computers
Astrology software is a type of computer programs designed to calculate horoscopes. Many of them also assemble interpretive text into narrative reports.-History:...
that has been available online free of charge since 1991. It was originally authored by Walter Pullen, and distributed via postings to the Usenet
Usenet
Usenet is a worldwide distributed Internet discussion system. It developed from the general purpose UUCP architecture of the same name.Duke University graduate students Tom Truscott and Jim Ellis conceived the idea in 1979 and it was established in 1980...
newsgroup [news:alt.astrology alt.astrology].
Astrolog can create horoscope
Horoscope
In astrology, a horoscope is a chart or diagram representing the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, the astrological aspects, and sensitive angles at the time of an event, such as the moment of a person's birth. The word horoscope is derived from Greek words meaning "a look at the hours" In...
s, natal chart
Natal chart
In astrology, a natal chart is a stylized map of the universe with the "native" at the center. It is calculated for the exact time and location of the native's birth for the purposes of gaining insight into the native's personality and potential...
s, and calculate current planetary positions in sidereal, traditional, and heliocentric formats. It can be used to relate astrological house and sign dispositors and other nonstandard systems. Astrolog uses 14 different house systems
House (astrology)
Most horoscopic traditions of astrology systems divide the horoscope into a number of houses whose positions depend on time and location rather than on date. In Hindu astrological tradition these are known as Bhāvas. The houses of the horoscope represent different spheres of life, described in...
, can calculate 18 different aspects
Astrological aspect
In astrology, an aspect is an angle the planets make to each other in the horoscope, and also to the ascendant, midheaven, descendant, lower midheaven, and other points of astrological interest. Aspects are measured by the angular distance in degrees and minutes of ecliptic longitude between two...
such as trines, squares, semisquares, and rarer ones such as biquintiles, quatronoviles, and sesquiquadrates. Astrolog computes the traditional planets, along with minor planetary objects
Minor planet
An asteroid group or minor-planet group is a population of minor planets that have a share broadly similar orbits. Members are generally unrelated to each other, unlike in an asteroid family, which often results from the break-up of a single asteroid...
such as Ceres, Juno and Vesta, and uranian objects
Uranian astrology
Uranian astrology is a relatively recent methodological approach to astrology based on teachings of German surveyor/astrologer Alfred Witte , founder of the Hamburg School of Astrology. Witte revived and further developed the use of mathematical midpoints...
such as Vulkanus and Russian Proserpina. It can show nearly 50 fixed stars, and animate the chart in real time synchronized with the OS clock. Astrolog can do forms of locational astrology such as astrocartography
Astrocartography
Astrocartography is one of several methods of locational astrology, which purports to identify varying life conditions through differences in location.-Technique:...
. http://www.astrocartographyinfo.com/astrocartography_DIY.html
Astrolog's source code
Source code
In computer science, source code is text written using the format and syntax of the programming language that it is being written in. Such a language is specially designed to facilitate the work of computer programmers, who specify the actions to be performed by a computer mostly by writing source...
is available at its official website, although it is not free software
Free software
Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
, because users are not permitted to "sell, restrict, or profit from" it. Several different parties have contributed to the core program or to alternate versions of it. For example, Astrolog started with the early astrological formulas implemented by Michael Erlewine
Michael Erlewine
Michael Erlewine is an American musician, astrologer, and Internet entrepreneur who founded All Music Guide in 1991.- Background :...
. Later versions of it made use of the Placalc and then Swiss Ephemeris libraries produced by Astrodienst AG. http://astrolog.offline.ee/astrolog/changed/changed.shtml Other parties contributed PostScript
PostScript
PostScript is a dynamically typed concatenative programming language created by John Warnock and Charles Geschke in 1982. It is best known for its use as a page description language in the electronic and desktop publishing areas. Adobe PostScript 3 is also the worldwide printing and imaging...
graphics, and integerated ephemeris files for minor planetary objects. Astrolog has been ported to many different platforms, where versions exist for Unix
Unix
Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
, MS-DOS
MS-DOS
MS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
, Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, Macintosh
Macintosh
The Macintosh , or Mac, is a series of several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The first Macintosh was introduced by Apple's then-chairman Steve Jobs on January 24, 1984; it was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a...
, and OS/2
OS/2
OS/2 is a computer operating system, initially created by Microsoft and IBM, then later developed by IBM exclusively. The name stands for "Operating System/2," because it was introduced as part of the same generation change release as IBM's "Personal System/2 " line of second-generation personal...
, among others. http://cosmicledger.com/software/astrolog/http://www.paganlink.org/library/astrology/kastrolog.html Astrolog is also distributed as a sample program with versions of SUSE Linux.
Most consider Astrolog to rival commercial programs in quality. In November 1995, The Mountain Astrologer
The Mountain Astrologer
The Mountain Astrologer is a bi-monthly English-language astrology magazine, written for professional astrologers and astrology students of all levels. It was the winner of the 1999 and 2000 Spica Awards for Best Astrology Publication and is widely acknowledged as the world's premiere astrology...
reviewed a number of software programs, where Astrolog was the one freeware program included, described as "good enough to be worthy of review with the main commercial programs". In the 1990s, Astrolog was mentioned a number of times in American Astrology's "The New Astrology" article by Ken Irving, because at the time it was the only readily available program that could compute Gauquelin sectors as described by Michel Gauquelin
Michel Gauquelin
Michel Gauquelin was a French psychologist and statistician. Along with his first wife Françoise Schneider-Gauquelin , he conducted statistical research in an attempt to develop a scientific basis for astrology.-Early interest:Although he was highly critical of certain areas of the art, Gauquelin...
. http://www.planetos.info/software.html
All versions of Astrolog include a command line interface. Most criticism of the program is due to command switches being confusing to memorize or use. Windows and Macintosh versions eventually included standard GUI
Graphical user interface
In computing, a graphical user interface is a type of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices with images rather than text commands. GUIs can be used in computers, hand-held devices such as MP3 players, portable media players or gaming devices, household appliances and...
. The command switch interface allows all of Astrolog's features to be accessed from shell scripts or to be invoked by other programs. There are a number of online servers
Web server
Web server can refer to either the hardware or the software that helps to deliver content that can be accessed through the Internet....
that use Astrolog as a back end to generate charts for the user. http://www.zodiacal.com/chart.htm