********************************************************************** SNNS (Stuttgart Neural Network Simulator) Version 3.0 available ********************************************************************** SNNS (Stuttgart Neural Network Simulator) is a software simulator for neural networks on Unix workstations developed at the Institute for Parallel and Distributed High Performance Systems (IPVR) at the University of Stuttgart. The goal of the SNNS project is to create an efficient and flexible simulation environment for research on and application of neural nets. The SNNS simulator consists of two main components: 1) simultor kernel written in C 2) graphical user interface under X11R4 or X11R5 The simulator kernel operates on the internal network data structures of the neural nets and performs all operations of learning and recall. It can also be used without the other parts as a C program embedded in custom applications. It supports arbitrary network topologies and, like RCS, supports the concept of sites. SNNS can be extended by the user with user defined activation functions, output functions, site functions and learning procedures, which are written as simple C programs and linked to the simulator kernel. Currently the following learning procedures are included: * backpropagation vanilla (online) BP BP with momentum term and flat spot elimination batch BP time delay BP * counterpropagation, * quickprop * backpercolation 1 * generalized radial basis functions (RBF) * RProp * ART1 * ART2 * ARTMAP * Cascade Correlation * Recurrent Cascade Correlation * Dynamic LVQ * Backpropagation through time (for recurrent networks) * batch backpropagation through time (for recurrent networks) * Quickpropagation through time (for recurrent networks) The graphical user interface XGUI (X Graphical User Interface), built on top of the kernel, gives a 2D and a 3D graphical representation of the neural networks and controls the kernel during the simulation run. In addition, the 2D user interface has an integrated network editor which can be used to directly create, manipulate and visualize neural nets in various ways. ********************************************************************** New features of SNNSv3.0 ********************************************************************** Version 3.0 of SNNS features the following improvements and extensions over the earlier version 2.1: * translation from K&R-C to ANSI-C. This means of course that an ANSI compiler is required to run SNNS. Since the standard C compiler on Sun workstations can not handle ANSI-C, we also supply a precompiled version of SNNS for SUN work- stations under the name SNNSv3.0.sparc.binary.4.1.2.Z * implementation of ART1, ART2, and ARTMAP network models. * implementation of time delay networks. * implementation of the learning algorithms RProp, backpropagation through time, batch backpropagation through time, quickpropagation through time. * implementation of Cascade Correlation and Recurrent Cascade Correlation. * implementation of Dynamic-LVQ. * improved and documented batch training and testing. * fixes for a number of bugs in the software and documentation. * the user manual got an index. ********************************************************************** Machine architectures on which SNNSv3.0 is available ********************************************************************** We have tested SNNSv3.0 on the following machines and operating systems: machine type OS user interface with SUN Sparc SLC, ELC, SS2 GX, GS SunOS 4.1.1 X11R4, X11R5, OW 3.0 DECstation 2100,3100, 5000 Ultrix V4.2 X11R4, X11R5 IBM RS 6000/320, 320H AIX V3.1 X11R4, X11R5 IBM RS 6000/520, AIX V3.2 X11R4, X11R5 HP 9000/720, 730 HP/UX 8.0.7 X11R4, X11R5 IBM-PC 80386, 80486 Linux X11R4, X11R5 The current distribution supports color or B/W Sun 4 (Sparc) systems and DecStations under the original X11R4 or X11R5 (Athena widget set, twm, MIT fonts) or Sun OpenWindows 3.0, IBM RS/6000 systems with AIX and HP 9000/7xx systems with HP/UX 8.0.7 and HP VUE and 386 or 486 IBM-PC clones under Unix (e.g. Linux) and X11R4 or X11R5. ********************************************************************** SNNSv3.0 licensing terms (short) ********************************************************************** SNNSv3.0 is available NOW free of charge for research purposes under a GNU-style copyright agreement. See the license agreement in the user manual and in the file Readme.license of the distribution for details. SNNS is (C) Copyright Universitaet Stuttgart, IPVR. SNNSv3.0 can only be obtained by anonymous ftp over the Internet. See the detailed description of how to obtain SNNS below. We don't have the time and capacity to send tapes or floppy disks, so don't ask. SNNSv3.0 is also too large to be mailed by e-mail, so don't ask for that, either. You may, however, obtain the unmodified SNNSv3.0 distribution from other sites which already have obtained it, under the terms of our license agreement, if you are unable to connect to our machine. Note that SNNS has not been tested extensively in different computer environments and is a research tool with frequent substantial changes. It should be obvious that WE DO NOT GUARANTEE ANYTHING. We are also not staffed to answer problems with SNNS or to fix bugs quickly. For questions and/or comments concerning SNNS we refer you to the SNNS mailing list. To subscribe, send a mail to listserv@informatik.uni-stuttgart.de With the one line message (in the mail body, not in the subject) subscribe snns ********************************************************************** How to obtain SNNSv3.0 ********************************************************************** 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 SNNSv3.0.tar.Z (0.826 MB) or in several parts as files SNNSv3.0.tar.Z.aa ... SNNSv3.0.tar.Z.ad These split files are each 400 KB and can be joined with the Unix `cat' command into one file SNNSv3.0.tar.Z . 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 SNNSv3.0.tar.Z tar -xvf SNNSv3.0.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 SNNSv3.0.Manual.ps.Z (1.27 MB) or in eight parts as files SNNSv3.0.Manual.part1.ps.Z ... SNNSv3.0.Manual.part8.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). The full English documentation as LaTeX source code with PostScript images included can be found as file SNNSv3.0.Manual.src.tar.Z (1.33 MB) A printed version of the manual of SNNSv3.0 is available from us at the cost of printing and postage (DM 20.- in Europe, US $ 20.- overseas, this includes surface mail postage). ====================================================================== |Guenter Mamier mamier@informatik.uni-stuttgart.de| |University of Stuttgart, IPVR | |Breitwiesenstrasse 20-22, D-7000 Stuttgart 80, Germany | ======================================================================