Version 2: The best Match! you have ever seen!

In late autumn 2010, the next version of Match!, our software for phase identification from powder, will become available. It will of course run on Windows similar to version 1, and also on Mac OS X and Linux. Here is a screenshot taken on a MacBook Pro running Mac OS X Version 10.5.8 (Leopard):

As you see, the user interface has been revised completely: It now provides an intuitive and instant usage of restraints and additional information (on the upper right-hand side), as well as a separate table for selected phases on the lower right-hand side. In addition, it is now possible to display multiple experimental diffraction patterns on top of each other, as you can see on the upper left-hand side.

Here is a list of the most outstanding improvements (click on the bold titles for more detailed information as well as more pictures):

• Runs on Mac, Linux and of course Windows
  No matter which one of these operating systems you prefer, Match! will run on it. Of course, you can use document files created with Match! on one platform on any other platform as well.
• Display and compare multiple diffraction patterns
  Additional experimental patterns can now be imported and displayed on top of each other, so that you can compare them to the main experimental pattern.
• Instant usage of additional information
  You know that one or the other element must be present in the matching phases? Excellent, just click on the corresponding button(s) in the periodic table on the upper right-hand side; Match! will instantly use this additional information.
  You would like to check how a certain compound compares to the experimental diffraction pattern? No problem, simply type the name (or fragment) of the compound; Match! will add the corresponding entries to the list of candidate entries at the bottom straight away.
• Saving of selection criteria
  Once you have entered a set of selection criteria (e.g. elements, density etc.) that best suits your requirements, you can save it using an appropriate name, and recall it later on with just two mouse clicks.
• Comfortable definition of background
  Simply insert, shift or delete control points in the automatically calculated background curve using the mouse, in order to precisely define the background with regard to the raw data.
• Improved zooming facilities
  Zoom now also implies zooming on the intensity (and not only on 2theta) axis. In addition, you can now simply use the mouse pointer and wheel to zoom into the area of interest. Of course, it is also possible to zoom to an exactly defined area (2theta/intensity).
• Batch Processing and Automatics
  You are a beginner or an expert user? As you like it: Simply adjust your skill level, in order to either give you full control at each single step, let Match! run the complete phase identification automatically, or anything in between.
• Rietveld refinement using FullProf (not yet in very first version 2.0)
  With just two mouse clicks, you can easily transfer your data (e.g. resulting from a phase identification) to the FullProf software and run a Rietveld refinement.
  This feature will most probably not be present yet in the very first version 2.0 but in a later version 2.x.

Customers who purchase the current version from now on (August 2, 2010) will be entitled to update to version 2 free-of-charge. Customers who already use the current version will be offered an update to the new version at significantly reduced price. Changes and bug fixes to be made in version 2.x will be free-of-charge for customers who purchase version 2.0 or higher.