Newsgroups: comp.parallel
From: tantric@cix.compulink.co.uk ("Ian Thomas")
Subject: Taos prices etc.
Organization: Tantric Technologies
Date: 29 May 1995 15:16:42 GMT
Message-ID: <3qcogq$21i@usenet.srv.cis.pitt.edu>

The Taos Software Development Kit, Version 1.28 is now available!

The kit contains the following:

The Taos Parallel Operating System Kernel, V 1.28
The Taos Text User Interface Toolkit with Virtual Consoles and ISO 10646 
character set
The CUI Compliant Taos Graphical User Interface Toolkit
Taos Virtual Processor (VP) Assembler, Disassembles and Translators for 
all supported chips, including the PowerPc
Programmable text editor
On - line help, and full documentation on disk
Basic Compiler
Examples and source code for over 40 programs
New devices, including serial and parallel ports, keyboard & mouse, 
printer filter, display devices and interrupt support
Extensive libraries including IO, maths, polygon world and GUI graphical 
toolsets
DOS FAT compliant filing system, with Smartdrive( write back
Licence for single processor system
Registration form and Technical Support via E'mail


The following processors are currently supported:
INMOS T400 and T800
Intel I386 (with and without co-processor) I486 and Pentium
PowerPc PowerPc 601
N.B. an Hitachi SH port is expected soon

ARM ARM2, ARM3, ARM6 and ARM7
LSI/MIPS LSI LR33000 (=MIPS R3000) and LSI LR33050 (=MIPS R3000 + 
floating point co-processor)

The Development Kit will run on PCs with a 386sx processor and above. The 
kit contains a single user, single chip licence. Extra chip licences, 
costing #80, are available from Tantric, that will allow you to run Taos 
on a multiprocessor system. Kits for other platforms are in the pipeline, 
and will be announced soon!
You will no doubt want to prove to yourself and others the parallel 
processing capabilities and seamless support for dissimilar processors 
that Taos promises. To help you do this, Tantric have put together three 
Starter Kits, including Development Kit, PC board and a range of parallel 
processing modules. All kits include extra-chip licences and delivery to 
your door.

Kit 1   This entry level option gives you a two processor system for 
under #1,000, consisting of the host PC processor together with one T425 
Transputer. This provides sufficient hardware to experiment with 
parallelism and to show Taos running on more than one processor type 
simultaneously, but is limited to low power applications only.

Kit 2   This option gives you a three processor system for under #2,000, 
consisting of the PC processor, and two T805 Transputers. There is still 
room on the motherboard for one more T4 or T8 TRAM, giving you a four 
processor network for under #3,000.

Kit 3   This option gives you a powerful five processor system consisting 
of 4 different processor types. The PC processor plus a T225 on the 
motherboard, one T805 Transputer TRAM and one PowerPC TRAM with a T425 
co-processor. This system will yield, depending on the PC's processor, 
about 200 MIPS and 100MFLOPS. This needs the larger 10 slot motherboard, 
but leaves plenty of room for expansion to create a desktop beast!

Taos Systems Technical Support

Rather than requiring developers to waste time and money waiting in 
queues for technical support over the phone, Tao Systems provides 
technical support via CIX (The Compulink Information Exchange, a UK 
bulletin board, conferencing and internet service). This system allows 
developers direct technical access to the wealth of knowledge already 
accumulated by Tao Systems experienced developers. When you have a 
question you post it in the conference where it will be answered, often 
within a few minutes. You will also be able to see the answers to 
everyone else's questions. Once you have registered, you can have access 
to the TAODEV conference for technical support.

**If you include a non-CIX Email address on your registration card, you 
will be connected to a forwarding service, which will automatically send 
you mail of the conference proceedings.**

You may also mail Taos@cix.compulink.co.uk with your questions, which 
will be posted on the conference, with the reply returned by the 
forwarding system.
The first month is free, after which there is a charge of 10 pounds 
sterling per month to remain in the TAODEV conference. This can be paid 
monthly by direct debit or annually in advance. Forms come with the kit.

Cix can be contacted (voice) on +44 181 390 8446

Ordering

You can place your order now by phoning Tantric on +44 1703 230340, 
Faxing us on +44 1703 230440 or e'mailing us on 
tantric@cix.compulink.co.uk, quoting an order number from your company 
and the following part number T/DK/V128-K. Please state the name and 
delivery address of the end user, together with an address to which we 
should send your purchase receipt, if you need one. 

Payment can be made by VISA, AMEX, Eurocard or Mastercard. We also accept 
cheques and postal orders made payable to Tantric Technologies Co-op Ltd. 
As soon as we have received notification that the moneys are in the 
account, the goods will be sent. (Payment by cheque may delay your order, 
as the cheque has to be cleared by our bank. This can take a while, 
especially with cheques from banks outside the UK)
The price of the System is #250, excluding carriage and VAT (where 
applicable).

**There are no academic or other discounts available.**

All deliveries will be signed for on arrival at your delivery address. 
NB. Our couriers will not deliver to PO box numbers. Please make sure 
that your order address does not include a box number.
If you have any questions please call us on +44 1703 230340.
Yours sincerely

Clive F.G. Debenham

Tantric Technologies Co-Operative Ltd.     Exmoor House
                                           Inner Avenue
Phone: +44 1703 230340                     Southampton
Fax:   +44 1703 230440                     Hampshire
                                           SO14 6FQ
Email: tantric@cix.compulink.co.uk         UK

