%
% $Header: /u/gcmpack/MITgcm/doc/api_reference/introduction.tex,v 1.2 2004/05/05 07:15:41 dimitri Exp $
%

\chapter{Introduction}

This reference guide is intended as a gentle introduction to the
MITgcm internals.  Each chapter contains a very brief description of
the ``package'' that it describes and then a listing of the various
functions and subroutines contained therein.  The intent is to help the
reader become acquainted with the interface to each part of the code,
not to delve into the code internals.

For a more thorough view of the subroutines, variables, and other
internnal details, the reader is invited to use the following
references which present different views of the source code:
\begin{itemize}
\item The MITgcm on-line code browser:
  \begin{center}
    \htmladdnormallink{\tt
      http://mitgcm.org/sealion/code\_reference/callTree.html}
    {http://mitgcm.org/sealion/code_reference/callTree.html}
  \end{center}
  is a helpful interface when, for instance, one wishes to determine
  where subroutines are called or variables are used.

\item The MITgcm CVS Web interface:
  \begin{center}
    \htmladdnormallink{\tt http://mitgcm.org/cgi-bin/viewcvs.cgi/}
    {http://mitgcm.org/cgi-bin/viewcvs.cgi/}
  \end{center}
  provides a web-browse-able view that is most useful for determining
  the history of various changes.

\item Finally, the code itself can be obtained at:
  \begin{center}
    \htmladdnormallink{\tt http://mitgcm.org/source\_code.html}
    {http://mitgcm.org/source_code.html}
  \end{center}
  and this is the ultimate location to look for details, make changes,
  or add features.

\end{itemize}
