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8. Data Visualisation and CAD

8.1 IDL

Description:

IDL is the pioneering software for data analysis, visualization, and application development. IDL's features include flexible I/O, 2D plotting, 3D graphics, volume rendering, image processing, mathematics, statistics, a cross-platform GUI toolkit, plus a high-level, array-oriented programming language. Use IDL for visual data analysis, rapid prototyping, or application development. IDL programs are portable across Linux, Windows 3.1, Windows 95, Windows NT, Mac, PowerMac, Unix and VMS.

IDL 5.0 will be shipping very soon. To learn more about IDL 5.0 and to request a Pre Release version go to our web site.

IDL Student Version Release 5 will be available for Back-to-School 1997. To learn more about the IDL Student Version send EMail to info@rsinc.com.

Distribution media:

CD-ROM and Internet (FTP).

Licensing policy:

Free demo CD-ROM available or download via FTP.

OS provisions:

IDL supports Linux kernel version 1.2.8 dynamically linked using Slackware 2.3. Statically linked version also included for use with Linux versions less than 1.2.8. 16 MB RAM minimum recommended. 50 MB disk space.

Documentation:

1600+ pages of documentation on paper and hypertext online help.

Product support:

Customer support service, maintenance/update service, training and consulting are available. In addition, a Usenet group is devoted to IDL.

Extra features and add-ons:

HDF support, animation, volume slicer, high resolution mapping built-in.

Available since:

September, 1995.

Countries with distribution:

Ask vendor.

Price range:

Contact vendor/distributor.

Vendor:

Research Systems, Inc.

2995 Wilderness Place
Boulder, CO
U.S.A.

Phone:

+1 303 786 9900

Fax:

+1 303 786 9909

EMail:

info@rsinc.com

URL:

http://www.rsinc.com

FTP:

ftp://ftp.rsinc.com

Last modified:

March 17, 1997.

8.2 Megahedron

Description:

A flexible and powerful 3D graphics engine controlled by a high-level interpreted language called SMPL. With it, you can learn about 3D, write your own interactive simulations, animations, and ray-tracings. You can even write your own shaders, customize procedural objects and motions, and use up to 64 computers at once for net rendering. Includes executables for Windows 95, Windows NT x86 and Alpha, SGI Irix and Linux.

Distribution media:

CD-ROM, ISO-9660 and Rock Ridge.

Licensing policy:

Very flexible. The owner is allowed to run as many copies as they can, on any platforms. Demo version, full documentation and sample images and scripts available on our web site.

OS provisions:

Supports kernel 1.2.8 or 1.3.15. Non-ELF, a.out executable (QMAGIC). 16 MB of RAM minimum recommended. 7 MB free disk space recommended.

Documentation:

In HTML on CDROM.

Product support:

Private news server, EMail. Patches on web site.

Extra features and add-ons:

Everything included on one CD-ROM.

Available since:

August, 1996.

Countries with distribution:

World wide, direct and through dealers.

Price range:

US$99

Vendor:

Syndesis Corporation

235 South Main Street
Jefferson, WI 53549
U.S.A.

Phone:

+1 414 674 5200

Fax:

+1 414 674 6363

EMail:

syndesis@threedee.com

URL:

http://www.threedee.com

Contact:

John Foust <jfoust@threedee.com>

Last modified:

February 19, 1997.

8.3 Tecplot 7.0

Description:

Tecplot is a plotting program for visualizing and analyzing engineering and scientific data. Tecplot supports XY, 2D, 3D-surface, and 3D volumetric plotting. With Tecplot you don't have to write a program, just input your data and start visualizing immediately. For more information, see the Amtec Engineering web site.

Distribution media:

CD-ROM and Internet (FTP).

Licensing policy:

Either personal licenses (node locked) or network licenses. Evaluation copies available on CD-ROM or by anonymous FTP.

OS provisions:

12 MB minimum, Linux 1.2 or newer (available in both statically linked and dynamically linked versions). Use the statically linked version if your system does not have Motif 1.2 or newer installed. 32 MB RAM is recommended.

Documentation:

Printed User's and Reference Manuals, full online help. English.

Product support:

Update and technical support included with license for first three months. Extra charge (ask for EUSS) after that. Training courses available.

Available since:

V7 since September 1996, V6 since August 1993.

Countries with distribution:

Many, see Amtec web site.

Price range:

US$1795 for personal license, US$2395 for single-user network license, US$1795 for each additional user. All prices the USA and Canada only.

Vendor:

Amtec Engineering, Inc

PO Box 3633
Bellevue, WA 98009-3633
U.S.A.

Phone:

+1 206 827 3304, +1 800 676 7568

Fax:

+1 206 827 3989

EMail:

tecplot@amtec.com

URL:

http://www.amtec.com

Last modified:

February 19, 1997.

8.4 VARKON

Description:

A high level development tool for CAD and Product modeling applications. Interactive parametric modelling in 2D and 3D with object oriented database. High level CAD and modelling language MBS included.

Distribution media:

Internet (WWW).

Licensing policy:

Free binary for Linux.

OS provisions:

Requires X but not Motif. Needs 3 MB of harddisk for basic installation and 3MB of RAM to run.

Documentation:

400 pages of documentation included in the free version for Linux.

Product support:

Service with continous updates and free consultation available for US $75/month.

Extra features and add-ons:

Additional plotterdrivers available free of charge.

Available since:

July, 1996.

Countries with distribution:

World wide.

Price range:

Linux version is free of charge.

Vendor:

Microform AB

Henningsholmsgatan 4
S-703 69 Orebro
Sweden

Phone:

+46 19314932

Fax:

+46 19314969

EMail:

info@microform.se

URL:

http://www.microform.se

Contact:

Johan Kjellander

Last modified:

February 5, 1997.

8.5 XVScan

Description:

Image scanning and manipulation software for HP ScanJet scanners.

Distribution media:

Internet (EMail and FTP). 4mm DDS2 DAT tape or 3.5 diskettes (additional US$15 in the USA, US$25 international).

Licensing policy:

XVScan is based on XV and is not available in demo version due to licensing restrictions. Distributed with full source code.

OS provisions:

Linux, tested with 1.2.x and 2.0.x, requires a recent generic SCSI driver support to be built in (no earlier than 1.1.79). Motif is not required. Any XFree version (X11R5, X11R6).

Documentation:

Online, WWW, English.

Product support:

Updates free for first year.

Extra features and add-ons:

Also available for HP-UX, BSD/OS 2.2 and 3.0, SunOS 4.1.x, Solaris 2.x, and FreeBSD.

Available since:

May, 1995.

Countries with distribution:

World wide.

Price range:

US$50 for FTP or EMail shipping. Additional US$15 for media in the United States, US$15, internationally. Mastercard, Visa and Discover, and American Express Credit Cards accepted.

Vendor:

tummy.com, ltd.

3506 Stratton Drive
Fort Collins, CO 80525-2722
U.S.A.

Phone:

+1 970 223 8215

Fax:

+1 408 490 2728

EMail:

xvscan@tummy.com

URL:

http://www.tummy.com/xvscan

Contact:

Sean Reifschneider <jafo@tummy.com> or Evelyn Mitchell <efm@tummy.com>

Last modified:

February 19, 1997.


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