[fitsbits] FITS Resolutions

This message is to report that effective 9 August 2004, the IAU FITS Working
Group (see http://fits.gsfc.nasa.gov/iaufwg/iaufwg.html) has voted to
approve 2 resolutions related to the FITS data format:

1. FITS MIME types

By a unanimous vote the IAU-FWG has endorsed the proposal to create 2 new
FITS MIME types ('image/fits' and 'application/fits') and recommends that it
be submitted to the appropriate Internet controlling authorities for
consideration as an Internet standard. The MIME types serve as a standard
means for Internet web servers to inform web client applications what type
of file is being download. The full proposal can be viewed at
http://www.ucolick.org/~sla/fits/mime/ and in the near future will also be
posted on the FITS Support Office web site at http://fits.gsfc.nasa.gov/.
As is required by the IAU-FWG voting procedures, this proposal had
previously been made available for public comment on this newsgroup and had
been approved by the 3 existing regional FITS committees (i.e., North
America, Europe, and Japan).

2. Australia/New Zealand regional FITS committee

By a vote of 19-Yes, 1-No, and 2-Abstain the IAU-FWG has approved the
creation of a new regional FITS committee to represent the various
astronomical institutions in the Australia and New Zealand region. This
committee will be chaired by Mark Calabretta.

Bill Pence
Chairman, IAU-FWG
--
__________________________________________________ __________________
Dr. William Pence
NASA/GSFC Code 662 HEASARC +1-301-286-4599 (voice)
Greenbelt MD 20771 +1-301-286-1684 (fax)