<h3>General</h3>
<ol>
+ <li> <p>
+ New: The finite element classes have been redesigned from
+ scratch to allow also elements that depend on the actual cell
+ shape, like Raviart-Thomas, BDM or edge elements. Presently, we
+ have implemented continuous and discontinous Lagrange elements,
+ that can be easily extended to higher degree. E.g. for
+ continuous FEs we've already implemented elements up to degree
+ four, for discontinuous FEs up to degree 10.
+ </p>
+
+ <p>
+ Furthermore we have totally reimplemented the mapping
+ between unit and real cell. In future we won't be restricted
+ to Q<sub>1</sub> mapping any more, but we will have
+ Q<sub>p</sub> mappings of arbitrary degree p. Presently
+ implemented are mappings up to degree four in 2d, and degree
+ three in 3d. This allows to approximate curved boundaries not
+ only by straight lines (linear approximation) but also by
+ quadratic, cubic, etc approximation. The finite elements will
+ be able to be combined with arbitrary mappings. So in future we
+ can use subparametric, iso- as well as superparametric
+ elements.
+ </p>
+
+ <p>
+ The new implementation uses a totally new structure of
+ communication between <code>FEValues</code>, the
+ <code>FiniteElements</code> and the Mappings. Despite of this,
+ the new structure will almost not be 'visible' to the user of
+ <acronym>deal.II</acronym> as we tried to retain the interface
+ to the user (mainly that of <code>FEValues</code>) as far as
+ possible.
+ </p>
+
+ <br>
+ (RH & GK 2001/03/13)
+ </p>
+
<li> <p>
New: There is now some support to include and use routines from the
<a href="http://www.cse.clrc.ac.uk/Activity/HSL"
<br>
(Ralf Hartmann 2001/01/22)
</p>
+
<li> <p>
New: function <code>contract</code> for two arguments of
<code class="class">Tensor<1,dim></code>