JTides is an advanced, accurate, easy-to-use tide and current prediction program. JTides predicts tides and currents using a large database of US and worldwide locations. It graphs its predictions in many useful ways. In comparison tests, JTides' predictions are in good to excellent agreement with a sampling of published and on-line tide tables. Also, because JTides contain data for so many sites (over 2000 in the default configuration), you can obtain tidal forecasts for places where there are no printed tables available. And if you want, you can print a calendar of tidal events from JTides' calendar display. JTides is a Java MDI (Multi-Document Interface) application -- this means many locations can be graphed at the same time. You may also print prediction charts or export application-portable databases of any size, or create a Web-publishable HTML page set of tidal predictions. Because JTides is written in Java, it will run on nearly any computer. JTides represents the first of a new series of programs I have decided to write in the Java programming language. Until recently, I have been writing only Windows programs in C++. But Microsoft has recently crossed over a threshold in its relations with its customers (for more, see www.arachnoid.com/boycott ), and I now think it's immoral to write programs that only run on Windows. But remember that at best, tidal prediction is a chancy business. It relies on field measurements and data collection that can be subject to any of several kinds of errors. Typographical errors, programming errors, and numerous weather and human activity error sources can contribute to a rather large level of predictive uncertainty... Therefore, do not rely solely on the predictions offered by JTides if life or property are at stake. |  |
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