I have been using IDL for data processing and reduction for a long time now. In some areas (structures, web connections) the language has made no progress over the last year (instead we are getting new help files and new user interfaces with every new release). Like most developers, I have written a number of private routines to improve IDL and collected them in a library that I have called "iLIB". You may use it freely, if you like. There are many different routines in that package (some of which should really become part of IDL, in particular the handling the structures in the "tag_"-routines, see "overview").
Documentation improvements to follow the new structure are on the schedule.
In the course of my dissertation I have improved, re-written and mostly written an extensive package for 2d spectro-polarimetry and wavelet analysis using Fabry-Perot-Interferometers. It is called "fpi2008" and can be downloaded as a complete package here as well: fpi2008_nickelt_SOE zip. However, this is very special software and of little use outside of optical solar physics.
I have also improved available libraries for Virtual Observatory use (see http://ivoa.net). I will publish them here soon. Please contact me if you want the beta versions.
Last updated: May 21, 2008 - Iliya Nickelt