Lahey Licensing of Fortran compiler for Linux - in detail ;-)

[Marnix Petrarca]

I have an answer from Lahey for you gentlemen; let me know if there are
questions (not that I know everything ;-) I cleaned the message up bit
though, save some bndwdth.

Hope this helps, good weekend all.

Bye -- Marnix

Start answer:"

Question 1 - Lahey does NOT require a license for every cluster that uses
executable code created with a Lahey compiler.  A cluster license authorizes
the developer to create code for specific cluster SIZES.  I would refer you
to page 3 of our price list.  Look at the LF95 v6.1 Express 2 user license
for 64 CPUs.  The price is a one time cost of $1,120.  The license allows
two users to simultaneously develop programs for use on clusters of up to 64
CPUs in size.  The code that is developed can be distributed to an UNLIMITED
number of clusters ranging in size from 5 to 64 CPUs.  The clusters running
the executable code do not need a Lahey compiler, nor do they pay any fees
to Lahey.

Question 2 - The reader is misinterpreting the intent of the standard,
single user license.  The clause that disturbs him allows single user
licenses to be used on clusters of up to 4 CPUs without paying ANY
additional charges.  This clause permits a user of a standard, single user
license to set up and evaluate the merits of a cluster without having to
purchase a cluster license from Lahey.  That does NOT mean a license is
required for every 4 CPUs in a cluster.  The same Express cluster license
mentioned in Question 1 would suffice for this reader's 44 CPU cluster.  Two
users can simultaneously develop programs for his 44 CPU cluster at a cost
of $1,120.  He mistakenly interprets the terms of the license to mean he
needs 11 licenses -- a cost of $2,739 for a single user, $5,478 for two
users.  The actual cost is about 1/5 of that price.  Furthermore, the reader
can expand his cluster from the current 44 CPUs to 64 CPUs at no additional
cost.  If the target cluster should expand beyond 64 CPUs, the license can
be modified to support 256+ CPUs at a price of $560.

Marnix, you can refer these and other readers to page 3 of our price list
for accurate cluster pricing.  The various compilers are listed on a table
with clusters of various sizes.  Educational discounts are also listed where
appropriate.

Hopefully, this clears up some of the misconceptions about our cluster
policy.  If you, or any of your customers, have any questions I would be
glad to explain in greater detail.

Have a good weekend.

Steve Meaders
Lahey Computer Systems, Inc.
PO Box 6091
865 Tahoe Blvd
Incline Village, NV 89450
Tel: (1) 775 831 2500 x423
Tel: 800 548 4778 x423
Fax: (1) 775 831 8123
www.lahey.com

End Answer:"

----- Original Message -----
From: <beowulf-admin at beowulf.org>
To: "Craig Tierney" <ctierney at hpti.com>
Cc: "Marnix Petrarca" <Marnix at gbnetworks.com>; "Roland Krause"
<rokrau at yahoo.com>; <beowulf-admin at beowulf.org>; <beowulf at beowulf.org>
Sent: 17 January, 2003 19:34
Subject: Re: Fortran compiler for Linux


> Folks:
>
>   Have a look at Jeff Templon's page
> http://www.nikhef.nl/~templon/fortran.html which gives you a relatively
> complete set of pointers and discussions of the various compilers.
>
>   I used the Watcom compiler 10 years ago for f77.  There are others
> that are good and have somewhat reasonable licenses.
>
> Joe
 Marnix Petrarca wrote at 17/01/03 - 09:32 AM:
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > have you looked at Lahey Fortan yet? They have a very good Fortran
> compiler
> > for Linux, and they also have experience in the cluster corner -
berowulf
> > specifically. I know NASA for one uses it..check it out.. www.lahey.com,
> Tom
> > Lahey knows his stuff..
> >
>
> Question 1) from Beowulf list.
>
> Has Lahey changed their licensing?  Last time I talked to them they
> expected me to buy a license for every cluster node that I was going
> to run on, not compile.  This was not acceptable.  I explained to the
> Sales guy at SC2001 about this and that Portland Group and Intel did
> not license this way, but only for where you compile.
>
> Craig
>
> Question 2)
>
> I looked into Fortran compilers for a course I am thinking of teaching
> and I was disappointed in the Lahey license--particularly this
> paragraph:
>
> YOUR RIGHTS AND RESTRICTIONS. Lahey grants you a nonexclusive, single-
> user license to use the Software on a single computer and run executable
> programs created with the Software on computer systems that contain,
> in total, no more than four processors. For example, you may run
> executable programs created with the Software on a single computer
> that has four processors and on a cluster of four computers having
> one processor each. If you wish to use the software on a multi-user
> system, you must purchase the same number of licenses as simultaneous
> Software users on the system. If you wish to run executable programs
> created with the Software on computer systems that have more than four
> processors, you must purchase additional licenses.
>
> Granted, Lahey has to make its money somehow, but these sorts of
> restrictions on the _resulting executable_ disturbed me. Even one user
> developing programs to run on my small 44-processor cluster would have
> required 11 licenses!
>
> Andrew Leahy
> ---






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