Skyscript Astrology Forum

it appears that there have been a number of suggestions made, but for what it's worth I have a Mac and use Kairon (available at: http://www.kairon.cc/).

Kairon produces gorgeous chart graphics and is preparing for a decent upgrade, but it doesn't have the full functionality that some expect from their software. I prefer to just look at a chart without extraneous detail so this works just fine for me (although I would like Kairon to show planet velocities).

I can add that I have seen the chart graphics that Kairon produces and they are very nice. I also agree that many programs include too much information on the horary print-out, cluttering up the page with details that should be obvious or are so rarely used that it would be better to look it up if needed, to keep the chart presentation clearer. For example, if someone doesn't know how to tell if a planet is oriental or occidental, then they probably shouldn't be trying to make use of that in interpretation, and many programs include the the declinations of the planets whilst omitting latitude - in horary, the latitude of a planet has meaning, but there is not a lot of interpretational value attached to planetary declination.

It is important to have easy access to the planet velocities, but most programs don't include information on whether the planet is gaining or losing speed (or latitude). Knowing whether a planet is moving quickly or slowly tells us something, but knowing whether it is gaining or losing speed tells us a whole lot more. Currently I flick between horary and electional modules to check that. I Just thought I'd throw these thoughts out in case developers are checking in. Concern about software that facilitates horary and electional astrology is the main reason I've avoided getting a MAC so far. Seeing the graphics on Wade's horary chart forms did make me want to reconsider.

Deb wrote:I can add that I have seen the chart graphics that Kairon produces and they are very nice. I also agree that many programs include too much information on the horary print-out, cluttering up the page with details that should be obvious or are so rarely used that it would be better to look it up if needed, to keep the chart presentation clearer. For example, if someone doesn't know how to tell if a planet is oriental or occidental, then they probably shouldn't be trying to make use of that in interpretation, and many programs include the the declinations of the planets whilst omitting latitude - in horary, the latitude of a planet has meaning, but there is not a lot of interpretational value attached to planetary declination.

It is important to have easy access to the planet velocities, but most programs don't include information on whether the planet is gaining or losing speed (or latitude). Knowing whether a planet is moving quickly or slowly tells us something, but knowing whether it is gaining or losing speed tells us a whole lot more. Currently I flick between horary and electional modules to check that. I Just thought I'd throw these thoughts out in case developers are checking in. Concern about software that facilitates horary and electional astrology is the main reason I've avoided getting a MAC so far. Seeing the graphics on Wade's horary chart forms did make me want to reconsider.

Hi there Deb and everyone,

picking Deb's quote above, I've decided to take the risk of building my own software mini-startup (ad)venture, so I can focus full-time on building a nice astrology tool for people. I've been delaying this for so often, but the lack of "polishment" of most astrology applications and the fact that most applications are "over-crowded" with information, has long-time ago made me consider to roll out my own solution (skyplux was my "beta" attempt).

Deb's post above makes me realize that even power users would sometimes prefer simplicity and a good user experience above "all-features-in-the-screen-at-same-time". That is what I am trying to head to, somewhere along the lines of "traditional astrology made simple", which is a good moto by the way.. By the way, Ike made last year a good review of my beta project about the clean interface (http://beyondtheheaven.wordpress.com/20 ... -software/).

Also I would like to make my software to really respect "traditional astrology" standards. For instance, I've seen software which allows to make Solar Returns from Profection charts, which is something really stupid. Other things like Solar Return chart relocations are not standard in traditional astrology, etc..

Finally, it seems to me that most software are filled with useless features, but that is an open discussion. For instance, I would prefer to improve user experience, or create a method for the exportation of chars/tables for embedding in Word documents or internet forums, than a 3D model of a chart which could be useful for only one or two persons.

Well, consider the above as a mix of a rant and expectations, since I really don't know what will come out of it. I'll still have to figure out a new name for the project since my skyplux.com domain was hijacked, and start building many things from scratch again.

I'll create a thread when I have something to show, and I will really appreciate some feedback at that time. Until then, I'll be working hard on this..


Jo?o Ventura

Edit: To keep this ontopic, I'm aiming for a cross-platform solution which includes Mac, and I would really like to make it work on tablets. I'm a Linux user, but I've even bought an iPad for testing..

Sounds interesting. I also think a key element is to make features as customisable as possible. For example, not just the ability to use Lilly's version of the Ptolemaic terms or the Egyptian system, but to be able to user-define the terms so that if someone prefers to set the Ptolemaic terms to what is published in the Robbins edition of the Tetrabiblos (for example) they can. Or if they don't personally use the terms they can turn that feature off.

Deb wrote: For example, not just the ability to use Lilly's version of the Ptolemaic terms or the Egyptian system, but to be able to user-define the terms so that if someone prefers to set the Ptolemaic terms to what is published in the Robbins edition of the Tetrabiblos (for example) they can. Or if they don't personally use the terms they can turn that feature off.

Jo?o - good luck with your project.

Deb, I have 5 versions of terms in AstroApp but I'm not sure how Robbins one is different. Could you please point me in the right direction. If this is offtopic, lets pm.

gene

(havng little access to computer these days, so chiming in a bit late to react on Joao's question)

With me it's more a gut-feeling or a hunch (?) that perhaps some solar "burp" might burn up all cloud-access. I have this maybe totally unrealistic idea that all my data would then still be safe on my local HD. It is not so much hacking that I am afraid off, just inaccessability of data.
(I guess Saturn ruling my 3d and disposing of L1 sitting on my asc may have to do with this... )
Being abroad for the moment I do see the value of cloud-based computing, though.

Deb wrote:It is important to have easy access to the planet velocities, but most programs don't include information on whether the planet is gaining or losing speed (or latitude). Knowing whether a planet is moving quickly or slowly tells us something, but knowing whether it is gaining or losing speed tells us a whole lot more...

Planetary speed is available as a hover over hint in Delphic Oracle. It wouldn't be too much trouble to include whether the speed is increasing or decreasing. Do you have a margin of change in velocity that you have in mind? Currently a planet measured as being fast or slow is simply a matter of comparing the planets speed to its average speed. But I would assume that extremes of speed would also be useful to know.

Gene - sorry I am late responding to your comment. I meant to, then got distracted and forgot. I only mentioned Robbins as an example that there are a lot of variant recordings of the Ptolemaic terms, let alone the other term systems, so to me it would make more sense to include allow user-defined terms if that is not too difficult to program.

Curtis - there is lots of interpretational value out of knowing whether a planet is increasing/decreasing or stationing, in addition to the consideration of whether it is moving quickly or slowly. For example, many traditional texts use this as a main indication of whether a fugitive (or missing animal) will be caught (gaining speed = likely to get away, losing = likely to be caught). Knowing whether it is moving faster or slower than usual adds extra detail on how far and how quickly it moves. The symbolism of speeding up or slowing down can be used in many different ways, so I think that is quite important to add, and we don't need more than to know whether the pace is accelerating or decelerating or coming into or out of a stationary period.

Most horary software includes a notation of whether a planet is moving more quickly or slowly than usual, but I think they make a mistake by expecting the average daily motion of Mercury and Venus to be the same as that of the Sun. I advise students to be wary of this because Mercury will be shown as moving quickly when its motion exceeds 59 minutes per day, although this is slower than its daily average (1 deg 23 mins). Bearing in mind that Mercury can move over 2 degs a day, this is one of the ways that over-reliance on software can be counter-productive. I think the most useful thing would to be give the daily motion for each planet, and provide the average motion of the planet as a hover over hint, so the astrologer can make an informed personal decision on how quickly or slowly it is moving compared with its average. As a print out you would have to give them both I suppose. I personally don't start trying to understand a chart on-screen, and always print the chart and then give it my consideration.

Deb wrote: I advise students to be wary of this because Mercury will be shown as moving quickly when its motion exceeds 59 minutes per day, although this is slower than its daily average (1 deg 23 mins). Bearing in mind that Mercury can move over 2 degs a day, this is one of the ways that over-reliance on software can be counter-productive...

What average are you using for Venus?

Hi Curtis
I think I originally got my figures from an article in the Horary Practitioner magazine years back, but they are the same as those published in Anthony Louis' Horary Astrology: The History and Practice of Astro-Divination, p.164, as "Geocentric average daily motions (degrees/day)". The full list is:

Moon - 13 11
Mercury - 1 23
Venus - 1 12
Sun - 0 59
Mars - 0 31
Jupiter - 0 05
Saturn - 0 02
Uranus - 0 00 42
Neptune - 0 00 24
Pluto - 0 00 15


Hope that helps

This should be rather simple if expressed as a ratio of its average speed ,in a separate column.

eg:

Mercury as speed 1.02+ but ratio less than 1 implies it may be moving faster than sun but slower than it its usual speed.

PD

Deb wrote:Hi Curtis
I think I originally got my figures from an article in the Horary Practitioner magazine years back, but they are the same as those published in Anthony Louis' Horary Astrology: The History and Practice of Astro-Divination, p.164, as "Geocentric average daily motions (degrees/day)". The full list is:

Moon - 13 11
Mercury - 1 23
Venus - 1 12
Sun - 0 59
Mars - 0 31
Jupiter - 0 05
Saturn - 0 02
Uranus - 0 00 42
Neptune - 0 00 24
Pluto - 0 00 15


Hope that helps

Thanks, working on it..