From: NetNews Posting Acct
Subject: The Lisp/CLOS OO-Browser V2.13, world's most flexible object-oriented code browser
Date:
Message-ID: <d5btwc5t9a.fsf@wave.altrasoft.com>
I apologize in advance if this message sounds a bit like market-speak. I
wrote it and I am a long-time software developer and Internet participant who
is now CEO of a small company working to provide real value to enterprise
software developers who are intent on improving both their work productivity
and quality to meet company goals. We believe we have some deeply productive
technologies that are not yet broadly known. We hope they will be of
interest to many readers of this newsgroup.
If you want to see more high quality software designed to meet your ever
changing needs and delivered in source code form (as the OO-Browser is), then
we hope you will give us a chance, and let your associates know about our
unique technologies and services. Client satisfaction is our highest priority.
Thanks,
Bob Weiner
=======================
* What is the OO-Browser?
=======================
Altrasoft's OO-Browser is a high performance multi-language
object-oriented code browser with many important capabilities not found
elsewhere. A data sheet of the OO-Browser's features can be
found at "http://www.altrasoft.com/BR-FEATURES".
Here are a few of its major distinctions:
- The OO-Browser works with the languages you do; it supports C, C++,
Lisp and its object system (CLOS), Eiffel, Java, Objective-C, Python
and Smalltalk code. It doesn't force you into changing toolsets if a
new project calls for a different language or platform. It works
under Windows, MS-DOS and many UNIX-variants.
- The OO-Browser reads source code exclusively so there is never
a need to compile or to have a full system before browsing. This is
extremely convenient for exploring new code libraries and for working
with systems during development.
- Complete source code for the browser is included for local adaptation
or extension.
- Most operations that can be applied to a single class or method can
also be applied to a whole set at once so that you may quickly issue
commands and get all of the information you need at once.
- The OO-Browser has been used successfully in many organizations since
1990; it is mature technology (unlike many Java tools available
today) that continues to keep pace with the many changes in industrial
software development.
- The OO-Browser runs within the powerful GNU Emacs or XEmacs editors or
as part of our own integrated development environment, InfoDock.
It can also call out to other editors such as vi. Browser features
can be used directly in the editor without display of the browser
user interface, e.g. symbol names can be completed and definitions
of symbols can be found at the touch of a key.
- An attractive X window graphical front end is also provided. It is
easy to operate and lets you quickly browse large hierarchies of
information generated by the browser such as class or method
relations.
See "http://www.altrasoft.com/products.html" for screenshots of the
OO-Browser in action.
========================================================
* How will the OO-Browser give me a competitive advantage?
========================================================
If you develop or have the need to understand significant amounts of
object-oriented code for a living, the OO-Browser can simplify your life,
help you produce better code and better architectures. It can also speed
your software development projects, thereby reducing their costs and
helping achieve a time-to-market advantage. The productivity
improvements possible allow it to pay for itself in under a month.
- Explore existing class libraries right when you need to
without compiling.
- Quickly learn and navigate existing code bases which lack good
documentation.
- Speed demonstrations and code reviews by giving participants a
visual context of the structure of the code.
- Debug code faster since many items in the code are automatically
hyperlinked to their definitions. If combined with Altrasoft's
Hyperbole product, you can even embed an unlimited number of powerful
hyperlinks within your code comments to make browsing even faster.
================================================================
* What key language-specific features does the OO-Browser contain?
================================================================
Beyond the language-independent features of the OO-Browser such as class
inheritance and method browsing, each language module includes
easy to use support for the following features:
C - grouped browsing of many standard C types;
(C support is included with other languages such as C++
so it is not available separately.)
C++ - C browsing, method overloading, template support,
method calls and header browsing
Eiffel - renamed feature lookup, features displayed by type,
reference browsing, short and flat interfaces
Java - features displayed by type and full support for
interface browsing and inheritance
Lisp - CLOS support (multi-method browsing) and def construct
browsing by category
Objective-C - C browsing, extensive category and protocol browsing
support
Python - imported module and documentation string browsing
Smalltalk - standard OO-Browser capabilities only
=========================================
* How is the OO-Browser sold and supported?
=========================================
The OO-Browser is sold and serviced on a per-user basis; site agreements
are also available. Evaluation copies are available under our regular
pricing schedule but not under the special limited time offer. We
deliver all of our software electronically to assure that you always
get the freshest releases.
All pricing packages below are per user, per platform. They include
the browser software and the user manual in both online and printed form.
They do not include copies of GNU Emacs or XEmacs. Altrasoft can provide
those for an additional charge.
Available languages: C++, Lisp and its Object System (CLOS), Eiffel,
Java, Objective-C, Python and Smalltalk
Available platforms: Windows on Intel chips, Linux on Intel chips,
Solaris on Sparc chips, Digital UNIX on Alpha chips.
(Contact us for other platforms).
Special Price for Orders
OO-Browser Package Regular Price Paid by March 12, 1998
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 language, 1 platform,
install support only, no
upgrades $599 ................. $399
1 language, 1 platform, 30-day
support, no upgrades $799 ................. $599
2 languages, 1 platform, 1 year
of support and upgrades $1099 ................ $899
all languages, 1 platform, 1
year of support and upgrades $1350 ................ $1099
add a language $100 ................. N/A
add a platform $150 ................. N/A
The first thirty paid orders before March 12, 1998 will receive
a bonus copy of the O'Reilly book, "Writing GNU Emacs Extensions",
by Bob Glickstein. The book teaches you how to customize emacs
and emacs-related tools for your personal use.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
======================================
* Why buy the OO-Browser from Altrasoft?
======================================
Altrasoft backs all of its products with a 30-day money back guarantee
because we are never satisfied unless are clients are. Altrasoft
specializes in corporate and governmental technical productivity
improvement solutions (we presently have no academic discount programs).
We offer unique technologies, responsive service, training and custom
development across an array of software development and team-oriented
realms. Let us help you tune your organization with strategic advantages
that competitors can't touch. Give us a try to see if we can make a
difference in your future.
=============================================
* What if I need more than just a code browser?
=============================================
Altrasoft's Hyperbole product is an everyday, net-centric information
manager built around a hypertext model that is compatible with the
web but even more powerful. It also includes at no extra cost a fast,
flexible hierarchical contact manager with rapid retrieval and an
autonumbered outliner with convenient hyperlinks that is suitable for
requirements capture, to do lists and many other structured document
tasks. Its potential uses in connection with software documentation,
project management and system architecture navigation are quite broad.
For the best in backend software development productivity, Altrasoft
offers InfoDock, the most comprehensive commercial-quality IDE on the
market today. Built atop the widely regarded XEmacs editor, it
provides expert and novice interfaces and rapid access to the kinds of
tools and services that developers continually find useful. Both new
and highly experienced developers will find it comfortable and
productive. It includes both Hyperbole and the OO-Browser.
We also provide comprehensive support and custom development for
Emacs-related technologies and other open technologies.
Altrasoft's future plans call for an array of collaborative tools that
will help distributed teams coordinate on more complex projects.
=============================================
* How can I contact Altrasoft?
=============================================
See http://www.altrasoft.com for product descriptions and complete
user manuals. Visit our online store at this web site to purchase
the OO-Browser or other products.
Call Toll Free: 1-888-ALTSOFT (U.S. and Canada)
International: +1 408 243 3300
Email: Edit the Reply-to line at the top of this message to e-mail
Altrasoft with specific needs or questions.