**********************************************************************
   SNNS (Stuttgart Neural Network Simulator) Version 4.0 available
**********************************************************************

The new version 4.0 of SNNS is available now.


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	                New features of SNNSv4.0
**********************************************************************

Version 4.0 of SNNS features the following improvements and extensions
over the earlier version 3.3:

* A new distributed version of the kernel. SNNS can now be spread out in 
  a workstation cluster for faster learning.
* Improved version of the C-code generator snns2c
* Validation sets now can check on the performance of the network during 
  training.
* New error function in tool analyze that can handle single-output-unit
  networks. 
* New statistic tool that can predict the generalization capabilities of 
  the network.
* Reorganization of the manager panel with new selection mechanism for 
  the major SNNS windows. 
* The remote panel was alternated significantly and renamed 
  `control panel'. 
* Selection possibility in the graph panel between plot of SSE, MSE, and 
  SSE/output.
* New learning algorithm RBF_DDA
* New learning algorithm simulated annealing
* New learning algorithm Monte Carlo. 
* New learning algorithm Pruned-Cascade-Correlation
* Several new initialization algorithms for Kohonen and Counterpropagation 
  networks, since the two old ones had serious flaws.
* Key codes to bring up all the main panels of SNNS (e.g Alt-c for the
  control panel).
* Support for NeXTStep systems.
* More information printed to the shell during training and with the INFO 
  button.
* The SOURCE and TARGET part of the info panel have been swapped for a more 
  intuitive setup of the information.
* Extensive debugging (as usual).


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	 Machine architectures on which SNNSv4.0 is available
**********************************************************************

We  have tested  SNNSv4.0  on  the  following  machines  and operating
systems:

machine type			OS    		user interface with
 
SUN Sparc ELC, SS2, SS10	SunOS 4.1.3	X11R5, X11R6, OW 3.0  
SUN Sparc SS10, SS20		Solaris 2.3     X11R5, X11R6, OW 3.0
SGI Indigo II                   IRIX 5.1, 5.2	X11R5
DECstation 5000			Ultrix V4.2	X11R5
DEC Alpha Workstation		OSF 2.1		X11R5
IBM RS 6000/320, 320H, 520, 	AIX V3.2	X11R5
HP 9000/720, 730		HP/UX 9.0.1	X11R5
IBM-PC 80486, Pentium		Linux  		X11R5

Our parallel versions of SNNS are only available for research partners
with whom we have sponsored joint research projects. These parallel
versions include

Neurocomputer	Adaptive Solutions CNAPS serverII
SIMD computer	MasPar MP-1, MP-2
MIMD computer	Intel Paragon XP/S5, 
		Connection Machine CM-5


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	              How to obtain SNNSv4.0
**********************************************************************

The SNNS simulator can be obtained via anonymous ftp from host

        ftp.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de  (129.69.211.2)

in the subdirectory        /pub/SNNS
as file
        SNNSv4.0.tar.Z			(2.36 MB)

or in zipped form as file

        SNNSv4.0.tar.gz			(1.42 MB)

Be  sure to set  the ftp  mode  to  binary before transmission  of the
files.  Also watch out for possible higher version numbers, patches or
Readme files in  the above  directory  /pub/SNNS .  After   successful
transmission of the  file move it to the  directory where you  want to
install SNNS, uncompress and extract the file with the Unix commands

        uncompress SNNSv4.0.tar.Z	
        tar xvf SNNSv4.0.tar

The   SNNS  distribution  includes  full   source  code,  installation
procedures  for  supported  machine  architectures   and  some  simple
examples of trained networks.

The PostScript version of the user manual can be obtained as file 

	SNNSv4.0.Manual.ps.Z		(1.51 MB)
or 	SNNSv4.0.Manual.ps.gz		(0.95 MB)

or in 14 parts as files

        SNNSv4.0.Manual.part01.ps.Z  ...  SNNSv4.0.Manual.part14.ps.Z
	
These parts are all under 1 MB in size when uncompressed and should be
printable on any PostScript printer.Again remember to set the ftp mode 
to binary before transmission of the file(s).

There is also an Implementation Manual available as file

	SNNSv4.0.Implem.ps.Z		(0.24 MB)

and a set of extension  chapters for those users  who just printed the
manual of version 3.3 in file

	SNNSv4.0.Manual.Extensions.ps.Z		(0.30MB)

More information about SNNS as well as a html version of the manual can 
be found at 

      http://vasarely.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/snns/snns.html

A printed version of the manual is also available. To cover for the
cost of printing and postage you should include DM 20.- for Europe, US 
$ 20.- overseas in a request for any bound manual; (this covers surface 
mail postage).


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|Guenter W. Mamier                      mamier@informatik.uni-stuttgart.de|
|University of Stuttgart, IPVR			                          |
|Breitwiesenstrasse 20-22, 						  |
|70565 Stuttgart, Germany                           Tel.: +49 711 7816-447|
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