Dear Forum members,

As you have just heard, coordination of GAP development will move here
to St. Andrews at some time in 1997. We are very excited about this
development, and we look forward to working closely with the present
team during the hand-over, and then taking the system forward from
1997.

One important point is that we do not see ourselves simply taking over
the exact role filled by Professor Neubueser's group at present. For
one thing, the British university system makes it almost impossible to
build up such a large and focussed group. Instead we see the
transition as from "an Aachen based project with international
connections" to "an international project coordinated and supported
from St. Andrews". We will work on the core of the system, and on
standards and interfaces and will encourage, assist, coordinate and
integrate contributions from other groups. As a result, we will be
more dependent than ever on you, the users of the system and
developers of applications and extensions.

One aspect of the current practice that we definitely do intend to
continue is the on-line support and discussion and the excellent
atmosphere of mutual support provided in the Gap Forum and by the
gap-trouble address. In this spirit, as Professor Neubueser has said,
we will keep you informed of the progress of the move.

Steve Linton
Ed Robertson