[comp.sys.encore] Extended parallel fortran

C.R.Ritson@newcastle.ac.uk (C.R. Ritson) (04/16/91)

We are using the Encore Parallel Fortran compiler on a multimax running
Umax4.3. Does anyone else do the same, what do you think of the compiler?
We have one or two problems, and Encore seem reluctant to address them.

The compiler announces itself as "EPF release: 01.00.r001"

Chris Ritson <C.R.Ritson@newcastle.ac.uk>
EMAIL: C.R.Ritson@newcastle.ac.uk       Chris Ritson,
PHONE: +44 91 222 8175                  Computing Laboratory,
FAX  : +44 91 222 8232                  University of Newcastle upon Tyne,
TELEX: uk+53654-UNINEW_G                UK, NE1 7RU

ejd@GOANNA.CS.RMIT.OZ.AU (04/18/91)

    > 
    > 
    > We are using the Encore Parallel Fortran compiler on a multimax running
    > Umax4.3. Does anyone else do the same, what do you think of the compiler?
    > We have one or two problems, and Encore seem reluctant to address them.

Welcome to the club. If you have an Encore Multimax then your software
has problems, and Encore ARE reluctant to address them. Some of the SPR's
here date back to 1989. 

Try and get a response on any software related problem. For example try and
find out what the latest release of parallel fortran is. I have been waiting
six months to get an answer to that one.


ejd

fay@rugsucker.WPI.EDU (Peter R Fay) (04/18/91)

On 16 Apr 91 08:42:10 GMT,
C.R.Ritson@newcastle.ac.uk (C.R. Ritson) said:
Ritson> Sender: news@newcastle.ac.uk

Ritson> We are using the Encore Parallel Fortran compiler on a
Ritson> multimax running Umax4.3. Does anyone else do the same, what
Ritson> do you think of the compiler?  We have one or two problems,
Ritson> and Encore seem reluctant to address them.

Ritson> The compiler announces itself as "EPF release: 01.00.r001"

I have used it upon occasion with some large fortran packages we have
here (MOPAC for one). It was non-functional. There were so many
problems it wasn't worth going through the effort of debugging the epf
problems - especially since all our other compilers on other machines
(even parallel fortrans) compiled it with no trouble.

Since epf 1.00 was released so long ago (three years), I inquired
about updates and was assured there never was and would never be any
other 32000 release.  I was told Encore is working on the 88K fortran
only.

--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ Peter Fay                      College Computing Center        ~
~ (fay@wpi.wpi.edu)              Worcester Polytechnic Institute ~
~ (508)831-5725                  100 Institute Road              ~
~                                Worcester, MA 01609             ~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

C.R.Ritson@newcastle.ac.uk (C.R. Ritson) (04/19/91)

Following on from my comments about epf and a few problems:

ejd@GOANNA.CS.RMIT.OZ.AU writes:

>Welcome to the club. If you have an Encore Multimax then your software
>has problems, and Encore ARE reluctant to address them. Some of the SPR's
>here date back to 1989. 

>Try and get a response on any software related problem. For example try and
>find out what the latest release of parallel fortran is. I have been waiting
>six months to get an answer to that one.

We have epf release 01.00.r001, and I have been told that that IS the latest
release. How many other compilers have you heard of that are bug free when
they are first released?

I asked encore about their plans for a new release, and got the following:

    From: jlundy@encore.com
    Date: Mon, 15 Apr 91 10:31:20 EDT
    Message-Id: <21190.9104151431@samson.encore.com>
    To: C.R.Ritson@uk.ac.newcastle
    Subject: EPF update for 4.3
    
    Chris,
    
    Currently there are no plans to send out an update for EPF under 4.3.
    I have been in touch with development on this issue, and will see what
    can be done.  I realize the importance of this release to your users.
    Perhaps you should speak to your salesperson and press him on the matter,
    so that he too will put some heat on engineering.

To be fair, encore have been helpful with other problems, and we like their
hardware. They seem to have a blind spot with the quality of their compilers
though.

Chris Ritson <C.R.Ritson@newcastle.ac.uk>
EMAIL: C.R.Ritson@newcastle.ac.uk       Chris Ritson,
PHONE: +44 91 222 8175                  Computing Laboratory,
FAX  : +44 91 222 8232                  University of Newcastle upon Tyne,
TELEX: uk+53654-UNINEW_G                UK, NE1 7RU