Since Clip 4, the program is solely written in the C++ programming language, an installation of the python environment is no more necessary. Compiling Clip from source only need the the Qt-librarys available from Nokia. and the Eigen libraries. If you need a build environement, you might use the Qt SDK, which comes bundeled with a MinGW on Windows and the excelent Qt Creator IDE.

The windows version of Clip distrubuted from the Clip Website has no dependencies on any external library, not even on the Qt libraries, as it is statically linked to it. Thus no installation is necessary, only put the executable in any directory and run it.

Yes, there is a manual available, which is basically a chapter of my PHD-thesis.

You might use the Berlios Project Page to submit bug reports and feature requests. Or write a mail to the User Mailinglist where also all gereral discussion could take place. I will try to anser all questions there and provide features and bug-fixes as fast as possible. But I am not anymore in the diffracion buissness and writing the program in my spare time. So please be a little patient to me.