The goodies:
* Curves can be used as normal dynamic effectors too with
the new "curve" field shape.
* Group visualization has optional duplication counts for
each object in the specified group.
* Object & group visualizations, which are done without
taking the dupliobject's global position into account
(unless the whole group is used). This is much nicer than
the previous behavior, but I added a "Use Global Location"
option for those who want to use it the old way.
* The active particle system's particles are now drawn a
with theme coloured outline instead of pure white.
* Added object aligned velocity factors (buttons categorized
and re-organized too).
Bug fixes:
* Absorption didn't work as the ui toggle button was forgotten.
* Some other force field ui tweaks.
* Crash after adding children and changing trails count.
* Display types "cross" and "axis" crashed.
* Particles weren't drawn with correct coloring.
* Billboards didn't update properly in viewport to camera
location changes.
* Particle rotation wasn't recreated correctly from point cache.
* Changing particles amount crashed sometimes.
* Some files with child hair crashed on loading.
* Compiler warning fixes.
* Adding boids crashed on frame 1;
+bvhtree cache (if the derived model doenst gets destroyed then the same BVHtree can be used)
this was needed to allow shrinkwrap constraint to be usable.
It has been ready for a long time.. but only got merged now, for 2.49.
