root@ail.co.uk (Operator) (09/19/89)
Strand Software Technologies is pleased to announce the availability of STRAND88(TM). Following extensive testing, this is the first full release of the Strand language which is based on STReams and AND parallelism. STRAND88 addresses the needs of programmers who wish to explore the programming challenges posed by the rapidly expanding number of parallel processor hardware types becoming available. The vital difference between STRAND88 and any other parallel processing language is that the same code runs efficiently on single processor machines such as workstations as well as on a growing list of parallel architecture hardware, including both shared memory and distributed memory machines, based on most of the common processor types e.g. Intel 80386, Motorola 68020/30, SUN Sparc, Inmos Transputer and NatSemi 32032. (Further details of specific hardware platforms supported are shown below.) STRAND88 offers the programmer:- PARALLEL SEMANTICS. Many widely used systems analysis tools and development methodologies are based on the technique of identifying parallel streams of computation which, for execution on von Neumann machines, have to be arranged in a particular sequence. STRAND88's parallel semantics allows these parallel streams to be mapped directly into executable STRAND88 code to take full advantage of available parallel hardware. The continued use of established methodologies is a major benefit but, in addition, applications written in STRAND88 will run on any configuration of parallel hardware, ranging from those with only one processor to those with thousands, without modification. PORTABILITY. The design of STRAND88 and the implementation techniques employed allow applications written in STRAND88 to migrate to the latest generation of hardware without re-programming effort giving the benefit of 'future-proofing'. Programmers will also appreciate being liberated from dependency on a particular hardware manufacturer. PROTECTION OF INVESTMENT IN EXISTING APPLICATIONS. We have designed a foreign language interface into STRAND88 which allows exisiting applications, written in sequential languages to be re-analysed (through functional and data decomposition) and a STRAND88 harness added to them to allow the parallelism latent in them to be identified and exploited. At present C and Fortran interfaces are provided but more will follow. STRAND88 PRICES AND AVAILABILITY:- In the tables below, the first figure is the $US price (for USA) and the second figure is the pounds sterling price (for the rest of the world except that prices in Japanese Yen are also available - see contact details below). EDUCATIONAL PRICES HARDWARE TYPE PC PLUG-IN TRANSPUTER BOARDS Supporting Helios, Parasoft Express WORKSTATIONS Sun 3, Sun 4, System V Unix/80386 Workstations and Atari ATW Transputer Workstation WORKSTATION PLUG-IN TRANSPUTER BOARDS Supporting Helios, Parasoft Express All of the above at $500 (350) for a single unit license. SHARED MEMORY SUPERCOMPUTERS Sequent Symmetry and Balance Encore MultiMAX DISTRIBUTED MEMORY SUPERCOMPUTERS Intel iPSC/2 MULTI TRANSPUTER SUPERCOMPUTERS Meiko Computing Surface All of the above at $1250 (850) for a single unit license. MEDIA AND DOCUMENTATION A pack which includes one set of documentation and the appropriate media is included in the above prices. Additional sets of documentation are available at $165 (110) per set. NEW RELEASES AND UPGRADES New releases and upgrades, as and when available, will be priced at $200 (125) per pack per hardware type to include media, documentation and delivery to the site. EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE Such agreements are available at 25% of the Unit License fees per annum. SITE LICENSES Educational establishments have, as an alternative to single unit pricing the option to license the software on a per site basis for the payment of a license fee of $5,000 (3,500) for all versions of Strand on all supported hardware. The Licensee may at any time now and in the future use as many copies of the software as required on the site. One copy of the appropriate media and full documentation will be supplied for each hardware type required at $250 (150) per pack delivered to the site. The Site Licensee is also entitled to any future additional hardware implementations of Strand under these same terms and conditions. Site License fees will be invoiced at the time of dispatch of the initial software order. EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE Educational Support and Maintenance is available for Site Licensees including hotline support for the sum of $1,250 (900) per annum. Unless otherwise agreed, each site must have one named technical contact through whom all communications with Strand Software Technologies Inc. regarding technical support issues must be routed. RUN TIME LICENCES Versions of Strand are available for installation on target host machines which are intended solely to run applications. These are available as Educational Run Time licenses at $150 (100) per copy, multiple copies by negotiation. EDUCATIONAL PRICING IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO RECOGNISED EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS AND WHERE THE USE IS FOR TEACHING AND NON-COMMERCIAL RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY. COMMERCIAL PRICES Single Annual Licence Maint HARDWARE TYPE Fee Charge $ $ (sterling) (sterling) PC PLUG-IN TRANSPUTER BOARDS Supporting Helios, Parasoft Express 1,500 400 (1,000) (300) WORKSTATION PLUG-IN TRANSPUTER BOARDS Supporting Helios, Parasoft Express 3,500 700 (2,000) (400) WORKSTATIONS Sun 3, Sun 4, System V Unix/80386 Workstations and Atari ATW 6,500 1,300 Transputer Workstation (4,000) (600) SHARED MEMORY SUPERCOMPUTERS Sequent Symmetry and Balance 16,000 3,200 Encore MultiMAX (10,000) (1,500) MULTI TRANSPUTER SUPERCOMPUTERS Meiko Computing 16,000 3,200 Surface (10,000) (1,500) DISTRIBUTED MEMORY SUPERCOMPUTERS Intel iPSC/2 20,000 4,000 (12,000) (1,800) MEDIA AND DOCUMENTATION A pack which includes one set of documentation and the appropriate media is included in the above prices. Additional sets of documentation are available at $165 (110) per set. RUN TIME LICENSES Versions of Strand are available for installation on target host machines which are intended solely to run applications. These are available as Commercial Run Time licenses at 5% of the List Price of the target machine per copy, multiple copies by negotiation. ANNUAL MAINTENANCE CHARGE Includes hotline support and new releases of the software originally licensed and is payable annually in advance. It will be billed at the time of dispatch of the software and on each anniversary thereafter The software may be subject to encryption. Site Licenses are available by negotiation. The prices shown do not include local sales taxes. For further information, please e-mail:- Strand88@ail.co.uk or contact:- In USA (from 14 August 1989):- Strand Software Technologies Inc., 15220 N.W. Greenbrier Parkway, Suite 350, Beaverton, OR 97006 Tel. No. 503 690 9830 Fax. No.503 690 9797 In the rest of the world:- Strand Software Technologies, Greycaine Road, Watford, Herts, WD2 4JP UK Tel. No. 0923 247707 (within UK) or +44 923 247707 (elsewhere in Europe) Fax. No. 0923 247836 (within UK) or +44 923 247836 (elsewhere in Europe) STRAND88TM and StrandTM are trademarks of Artificial Intelligence Ltd. Strand Software Technologies is a division of Artificial Intelligence Ltd.