I'd like to announce the sixth release of PythonCAD, a CAD package for open-source software users. As the name implies, PythonCAD is written entirely in Python. The goal of this project is to create a fully scriptable drafting program that will match and eventually exceed features found in commercial CAD software. PythonCAD is released under the GNU Public License (GPL). PythonCAD requires Python 2.2. The interface is GTK 2.0 based, and uses the PyGTK module for interfacing to GTK. The design of PythonCAD is built around the idea of separating the interface from the back end as much as possible. By doing this, it is hoped that both GNOME and KDE interfaces can be added to PythonCAD through usage of the appropriate Python module. Addition of other interfaces will depend on the availability of a Python module for that particular interface and developer interest and action. The sixth release at long last adds the ability to store text in a drawing. The text handling is in its earliest stages of development, but now it is there. There is a new Polyline entity available to use in a drawing now. A Polyline is essentially the same thing as a connected set of segments, with the segments joined at the endpoint of one to another. The ability to mirror objects around an arbitrarily angled construction line has been added in this release as well. This release also has a large number of internal code cleanups. A large amount of code is being moved from the interface specific directory to the general directory. Doing so reduces the potential of code duplication in various interfaces. Another improvement in this release is a reworking of the code used when building or modifying entities through the menu choices. A new set of object classes has been added that are specific for the operation to be performed, and the use of these new classes makes the code to execute the operation simpler to add and understand. The usual amount of code cleanups, bug fixes, tweaks, and documentation additions have been done in this new release as well. Unfortunately there is still no mailing list for PythonCAD just yet. I want to find a site that will accept mail from anyone, not just list subscribers, filter the mail to remove the spam, then send the mail out to the subscribers. Lists on Sourceforge and the GNU Subversions site allow more spam than I want, so I am still looking for options. I cannot stress highly enough how I want the list to be free from junk mail that unfortunately ends up clogging so many mailing lists. So, I am still looking for recommendations about sites that can host the mailing list. Visit the PythonCAD web site for more information about what PythonCAD does and aims to be: http://www.pythoncad.org Come and join me in developing PythonCAD into a world class drafting program! Art Haas -- To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. -- Theodore Roosevelt, Kansas City Star, 1918