bertrand@eiffel.UUCP (Bertrand Meyer) (10/31/90)
We are pleased to announce the release of Version 2.3
of Interactive Software Engineering's Eiffel compiler, libraries
and environment. Deliveries started yesterday (Oct. 29).
This is not a major overhaul but a large set of individual
enhancements to the compiler, the libraries (with the introduction
of new ``iterator'' and other classes, improvements to the graphics,
etc.), tools (with a brand new version of the eb class browser,
an improved GOOD, more facilities for `flat'), more examples and
demos (including the source code for GOOD), and enhanced documentation
(revised versions of ``Eiffel: The Environment'' and ``Eiffel: The
Libraries''). In addition, a number of bugs have been fixed.
The language (and the manual ``Eiffel: The Language'') remains
unchanged, with, however, broader applicability of the @ operator
and improved support for repeated inheritance.
Another important innovation is the presence of a new
directory ``shelf'' in the distribution. This contains a number
of class clusters contributed by various Eiffel users. We see this
as just a beginning. In future releases the Shelf should include
many more contributions, fulfilling one of the major aims of Eiffel:
to provide the basis for the exchange of reusable software components,
covering many different application areas.
Kim Rochat will shortly post a more detailed list of changes
and enhancements.
All Eiffel users with an active maintenance agreement will
receive the new version. If you have any question relative
to your maintenance status, please call your Eiffel distributor,
or Darcy Harrison at 805-685-1006 (E-mail: queries@eiffel.com).
The initial list of supported platforms, with the
corresponding OS release levels, is the following:
SONY News OS 3.3
IBM 6000 OS 3.01
IBM PC/RT AIX Version 2.2.1 **
IBM PS/2 AIX Version 1.2 **
Data General Aviion 300 OS 4.3
MIPS OS 4.10
Stardent Titan 3000 Unix V 3
Sun 4 OS 4.0.3c
Sparcstation OS 4.0.3c
** Renewal of current licenses only
Many more versions are underway and will be announced as soon
as they become available.
Let me use this opportunity to thank the Eiffel users that
graciously accepted to serve as beta-test sites last summer.
Their efforts have played an invaluable role in bringing Eiffel 2.3
to the desired level of quality. We have greatly appreciated
the interaction.
We hope that you will enjoy this new version.
--
-- Bertrand Meyer
bertrand@eiffel.com