So, what is IDL? What can it do for me?

IDL is:

1. A command-line driven (do things on line , or, stop look at stuff and carry on).
2. Scientific graphics package.
3. With code for Met Office models and major satellite datasets

This has several advantages: you can put a ``stop'' in and look at all the variables. You can have a quick look and write a proper program if you need to do something more than once etc BUT it makes it slower to run than say C