[GAP Forum] GAP 4.8.3 release announcement

[Alexander Konovalov]

Dear GAP Forum,

This is to announce the release of GAP 4.8.3, which could be downloaded from

	http://www.gap-system.org/Releases/

An overview of the changes introduced in GAP 4.8.3 is provided below. A more 
detailed version with hyperlinks to documentation is available here: 

	http://www.gap-system.org/Manuals/doc/changes/chap2.htm

New features:

* New function TestPackage to run standard tests (if available) for a single 
package in the current GAP session. This function is also callable via 

	make testpackage PKGNAME=pkgname 

to run package tests in the same settings that are used for testing GAP
releases.

Improved and extended functionality:

* TestDirectory now prints a special status message to indicate the outcome of 
the test (this is convenient for automated testing). If necessary, this message 
may be suppressed by using the option suppressStatusMessage

* Improved output of tracing methods (which may be invoked, for example, with 
TraceAllMethods) by displaying filename and line number in some more cases.

Changed functionality:

* Fixed some inconsistencies in the usage of IsGeneratorsOfSemigroup.

Fixed bugs that could lead to incorrect results:

* Fallback methods for conjugacy classes, that were intended only for finite 
groups, now use IsFinite filter to prevent them being called for infinite 
groups. [Reported by Gabor Horvath]

Fixed bugs that could lead to break loops:

* Calculating stabiliser for the alternating group caused a break loop in 
the case when it defers to the corresponding symmetric group.

* It was not possible to use DotFileLatticeSubgroups for a trivial group. 
[Reported by Sergio Siccha]

* A break loop while computing AutomorphismGroup for TransitiveGroup(12,269). 
[Reported by Ignat Soroko]

* A break loop while computing conjugacy classes of PSL(6,4). 
[Reported by Martin Macaj]

Other fixed bugs:

* Fix for using Firefox as a default help viewer with SetHelpViewer. 
[Reported by Tom McDonough]

In addition, GAP 4.8.3 distribution includes updates for 29 packages:

====================================================
Package name               | Version     | Date   
----------------------------------------------------
ACE                        | 5.2        | 11/03/2016 
ANUPQ                      | 3.1.4      | 08/03/2016
AutoDoc                    | 2016.03.08 | 08/03/2016
CRISP                      | 1.4.3      | 29/02/2016 
cvec                       | 2.5.5      | 08/03/2016 
Digraphs                   | 0.5        | 03/03/2016
FGA                        | 1.3.1      | 28/02/2016
fr                         | 2.3.3      | 27/02/2016
GBNP                       | 1.0.3      | 08/03/2016
genss                      | 1.6.4      | 08/03/2016
GUAVA                      | 3.13       | 31/01/2016
HeLP                       | 3.0        | 03/03/2016
IO                         | 4.4.6      | 08/03/2016
matgrp                     | 0.4        | 25/02/2015
NormalizInterface          | 0.9.7      | 10/03/2016
nq                         | 2.5.3      | 08/03/2016
orb                        | 4.7.6      | 08/03/2016
Polenta                    | 1.3.6      | 08/03/2016 
profiling                  | 0.5.1      | 24/02/2016
qaos                       | 1.2        | 25/02/2016
QPA                        | 1.24       | 24/02/2016
RCWA                       | 4.3.1      | 09/03/2016
recog                      | 1.2.5      | 08/03/2016 
recogbase                  | 1.2.5      | 08/03/2016
ResClasses                 | 4.4.2      | 09/03/2016
Semigroups                 | 2.7.4      | 02/03/2016
Utils                      | 0.39       | 04/03/2016 
XGAP                       | 4.24       | 28/02/2016
XMod                       | 2.56       | 08/03/2016 
====================================================

We encourage all users to upgrade to GAP 4.8.3. If you need any help or 
would like to report any problems, please do not hesitate to contact us 
at support at gap-system.org or submit new issues on GitHub: 

	https://github.com/gap-system/gap/issues

Wishing you fun and success using GAP,

The GAP Group