Global Attributes

[Tom Glaess <tgl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The NetCDF files we have make use of many conventional (NetCDF defined) and 
unconventional (we made them up) global attributes. The NetCDF manual states 
that generic/third-party NetCDF applications use the conventional attributes. 
I have found some applications that will not recognize a NetCDF file if it has
unconventional attributes (Envision from NCSA for example). Is this a common
problem with generic applications? If there are any plans to use generic NetCDF
applications, should home-made attributes be avoided?

My immediate thought would be that if an application sees an attribute that
it doesn't recognize, it can be ignored by that application. Is this
not possible with global attributes, or are generic apps not programmed well
enough do perform this?

Thanks,
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