Absoft Fortran for Linux on PowerPC
Absoft Fortran Compiler for Linux on Power™ and PowerPC
| Product Overview The Absoft Fortran 95 Compiler for IBM's Linux on Power™ (and PowerPC™) combines superior performance, solid reliability, reknowned cross-platform portability, and the industry's most complete suite of Fortran development tools and libraries into a single package. There is simply no other Fortran development solution for Linux on Power offering this much for this price. For maximum efficiency at tracking down and eliminating bugs, Absoft includes a copy of the popular Fx2™ Fortran debugger with every Fortran 95 Compiler at no additional charge. Pro Fortran conforms to LSB (Linux Standard Base) and is the only Linux Fortran solution including both ANSI/ISO Fortran 95 and F77 compilers. Absoft Fortran 95 generates 32-bit executable programs for both 32-bit and 64-bit systems. Compatibility with 'dusty deck' legacy applications and newly developed code is virtually assured. Friendly technical support and maintenance are included with each license purchased at no additional charge. |
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| Table of Contents | |
| - Key Benefits - Key Features - Product Description - What's New - Special Features - Performance - Ease of Use - Availability Date - Terms and Conditions |
- System Requirements - Try and Buy - Compatibility & Companion Products - Technical Support - Documentation - Debugger Options |
| Key Benefits |
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| Key Features |
- Full Fortran 95 implementation
- Integer *8 and Integer *2 data types
- Array bounds checking
- Stack traceback
- Variable format descriptor
- Exception handling
- PLplot 2D & 3D graphics
- 'Explain' diagnostic messages
- F90/95 intrinsic functions optimized for Velocity Engine™ (AltiVec) execution
- G4 users: Velocity Engine optimized BLAS and LAPACK90 libraries (included) offer performance increases of up to 2X
- Other recent improvements include:
- Position independent code
- DWARF II debug info
- Native QUAD REAL*16 support
AltiVec Support
- Velocity Engine optimized BLAS and LAPACK90 libraries (included) offer performance increases of up to 2X
- VAST-F/Vector - pre-processor which automatically inserts AltiVec instructions in your code. (Low cost bundle option)
- Vast-F/Parallel auto restructures your code for dual processors. Original source is retained. (Low cost bundle option)
| Product Description |
Absoft Fortran 95 v9.0 is the most advanced Fortran development system available for Linux users: it includes highly optimizing compilers, graphical multi-language debugger, libraries, tools, graphics and free technical support. Fortran 95 conforms to LSB (Linux Standard Base) and is the only Linux/Fortran compiler suite to include both ANSI/ISO Fortran 95 and F77 compilers so you are assured compatibility with ‘dusty deck’ legacy or newly developed code. Absoft Fortran 95 generates 32-bit executable programs for both 32-bit and 64-bit systems.
Absoft Fortran compilers conform to all DoD MIL-STD 1753, FIPS 69-1, and POSIX standards, supports most popular VAX/VMS extensions including RECORD, STRUCTURE, POINTER, and UNION, (per V5.4 of VMS FORTRAN), as well as others from IBM/VS, Cray, Sun FORTRAN as well as FORTRAN 66 conventions. Auto byte swapping and full integration with GNU tools means porting code from any environment is little more than a recompile. And only Absoft Pro Fortran, ‘just installs’ no matter what Linux configuration glibc you are using. DISLIN, a high-level graphics library, and pre-compiled BLAS, ATLAS and LAPACK90 libraries are also included.
VAST auto parallelizing pre-processor and cluster configurations are available options. Technical support, service packs and software fixes are included with each license purchased at no additional charge.
Visit Polyhedron's F90 test results to see how Fortran 95 compares against many other F90 compilers.
| What's New |
| Special Features |
| F95/F90/F77 Optimizations Compiler Optimizations Extensions |
Included on Distribution CD Multi-processing Capabilities |
Optimizing F90/95 and F77 Compilers
- ANSI/ISO Fortran 90/95 with most popular workstation extensions
- Array Syntax
- Elemental Intrinsics
- Modules
- Operator Extensions
- Derived Types
- Full ANSI FORTRAN 77 feature set
- Compiles F and elf code
- ELF object file format
- DWARF debugging format
- Absoft F90/95 and F77 are fully link compatible
- gcc link compatibility option
- g77 link compatibility option
- f2c link compatibility option
- Fortran Statement Extensions
Back to Special Features
Globally optimizing code generator supports the following optimizations
- Instruction scheduling
- Common subexpression elimination
- Register coloring
- Loop unrolling
- Constant and copy propagation
- Data flow analysis
- Loop invariant removal
- Strength reduction
- Branch straightening
- Code hoisting
Back to Special Features
Function and Subroutine Extensions
Fortran 95 language suite which includes:
- PLplot Graphics
- Examples
- VAX/Unix compatibility libraries
- User Guide, F90/95 & F77 Reference Manuals in indexed PDF format
Additional libraries, tools and resources:
- HDF (Hierarchical Data Format) pre-compiled libraries with Fortran entry points. Both release 4.1r5 and release 5-1.4.4
- BLAS - pre-compiled
- LAPACK95 - pre-compiled
- ATLAS pre-built for G4
- Vast Parallel and Vast Vector(AltiVec) are available as an option to Absoft Power Architecture/Linux Fortran 95 users
Absoft has partnered with a number of Universities and Government Laboratories including Argonne National Laboratory, which maintains Absoft-compatible MPICH Libraries for download.
Yellow Dog Linux features a "G4 Macintosh Linux Cluster How To" web page.
IBMers Malcom Zung and Brian Thomson take a look at why you might want to port your application from Sun Solaris to Linux, and present guidelines, suggestions, and resources to help. Included in the article is the authors' handy online tool that you can use to check the APIs used by your Solaris application for compatibility on Linux. Read the article here.
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| Performance |
IBM's innovative POWER architecture meets the high-performance demands for modern customers
with a proven roadmap in 32-bit and 64-bit computing that has built upon the history of IBM's
chip technology. Absoft Fortran 95 generates 32-bit executable programs for both 32-bit and 64-bit systems. Known as the first "server on a chip," the POWER architecture offers
customers technology solutions that complement the flexibility of Linux and capitalize on the
growing demand for 64-bit applications.
IBM® pSeries Linux servers provide:
- Large memory capabilitiess
- Advanced floating point computing
- 64-bit addressability
- Tuned compilers from Absoft and IBM®
These features allow companies to take full advantage of POWER4 technology to deliver
high-performance applications, backed by a proven architecture.
An 8-way p650 achieved leading Linux results on the STREAM benchmark which is a synthetic
program written in FORTRAN that measures sustainable memory bandwidth (in MB/s) and the
corresponding computation rate for simple vector kernels.
IBM® pSeries® systems are available with SUSE and Red Hat Linux operating systems (OS) on IBM's POWER microprocessor-based architecture. The recently introduced IBM eServer BladeCenterT JS20 is also based on the POWER architecture, is enabled for SUSE Linux and gives IBM customers a POWER processor-based, low-cost, high-performance computing solution in a BladeCenter environment.
| Ease of Use |
No need to be concerned about which glibc your Linux distribution is built with, Fortran 95
will install on any popular Linux implementation. Fortran 95 includes a complete User Guide which include clear examples of editing, compiling, debugging and running. To ensure you are getting maximum performance, suggested options for compatibility and optimizations are clearly defined. Linking with c is simple and straight forward and the Absoft Fx2 debugger is one of the few debugging tools which can properly debug both Fortran and c code. Pre-built math libraries and graphics are also included for those who require such tools.
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| Availability Date |
September 15 2003
- Electronic Delivery full Media Documentation
September 31 2003
- Mail orders shipped
| Terms and Conditions |
Agreement: Absoft Software License Agreement.
Limited warranty applies: Yes
Warranty: Absoft and its Licensors warrant that the media on which the software is supplied shall be free of defects in materials and workmanship under normal use for a period of 90 days from the date of purchase. For additional warranty information, see the Absoft Software License Agreement.
Introductory Software Maintenance applies: From date of purchase until version is no longer current; charges may apply afterwards.
Absoft branded products include Premier Technical Support and Initial Software Maintenance at no additional charge from the time of purchase for as long as the purchased version remains the current release version.
Premier Technical Support
Premier Technical Support includes free technical assistance for routine, short duration installation and usage (how-to) questions, limited code-related questions, access to the Absoft user forum and FAQ's and access to friendly technical support engineers via fax, email or telephone during normal support hours. Premier Technical Support is at no charge is as long as the purchased product version is current or the customer is still under Initial or Continuing Software Maintenance.
Initial Software Maintenance (ISM)
Initial Software Maintenance includes free electronic downloads of all interim Service Packs and Quick Fixes from Absoft. Version upgrades require separate purchase but at discounted prices.
Continuing Software Maintenance (CSM)
At the conclusion of the Initial Software Maintenance term (i.e. when a new version of the purchased product is released) customers may either purchase a Product Upgrade or within 30 days of the new product release, purchase Continuing Software Maintenance (CSM) for an additional 12 month maintenance term. Continuing Software Maintenance includes all elements of Premier Technical support plus all Product Upgrades issued during the 12 month Continuing Software Maintenance term. Annual renewals of Software Maintenance will be made available at low-cost to customers who renew within their unexpired Maintenance term.
For users electing not to renew Continuing Software Maintenance and having expired maintenance terms but later wishing to rejoin CSM, Reinstatement Software Maintenance (RSM) terms may be purchased.
Third party products distributed by Absoft are subject to license terms and policies of their respective manufacturers.
Please contact Absoft directly for further details or questions on Technical Support or Software Maintenance.
Disclaimer: Premier Technical Support cannot be used as a tutorial to assist in the design and development of applications, use of programs in other than their specified operating environment, provide instructions on general system operation or explore failures caused by products for which Absoft is not responsible under this agreement.
MaxFlex· Flexible Licensing available: To be announced
Floating Network Licenses available: Yes
Copy and use on home/portable computer: Yes. Absoft's no charge companion home license policy allows registered users to install Fortran 95 on their home system at no additional charge.
Volume orders: Yes.
| System Requirements |
- PowerPC™ 601 or greater, or IBM Power/3/4
- 64MB RAM
- 50MB HD space
- Linux kernel release 2.2
Installs without modification on:
- SuSE 8.1
- Yellow Dog Linux 2.1 or later
| Try and Buy |
A 30 day trial version of Absoft Fortran 95 for Power Linux is available.
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| Compatibility & Companion Products |
Absoft Fortran 95 uses an extended version of the Cray CF90 front end and adheres to the latest ISO and ANSI Fortran 95 standards. Extensions from all major workstations have been added to make sure your code ports from any environment with minimal effort.
- VAST-F/Parallel - auto parallelizing pre-processor
- VAST-F/Vector - automatically restructures code to take advantage of AltiVec (single precision only)
| Technical Support |
Full technical support from friendly technicians is included at no additional charge with each new product from Absoft. To ensure your software continues running at maximum efficiency, all registered Absoft customers can download service packs and quick fixes at no charge. Customers and partners can subscribe to Absoft's free electronic mailing list to receive electronic bulletins and update notices advising of new updates, changes in product releases, new product announcements and other news.
| Documentation |
User Guide
Product Literature
Presentations
White Papers
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| Debugger Options |
- Fx2 Debugging Solution - now included with Fortran 95 compiler