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VISICOMP ANNOUNCES 1.2 VERSION OF JAVA SOFTWARE VISUALIZATION TOOL

San Francisco (June 5, 2000) - VisiComp, Inc. today announced the release of their VisiComp(tm) 1.2 Java(r) software visualization tool. The new tool provides added performance features including a throttle control so that developers can control the speed of their program as it runs. The new version is more scalable allowing larger programs to take full advantage of visualization to enhance productivity for program development.

VisiComp starts where modeling stops
Modeling is an important tool for software development providing effective static diagrams of how the program is put together. Unfortunately, modeling doesn't visually show the developer how the program actually runs. The VisiComp 1.2 dynamic software visualization tool allows developers to go a step beyond simple modeling. It allows them to observe and comprehend what their program is actually doing at runtime.

The developer's lament
Dealing with maintenance and enhancement of inherited code consumes a large portion of what is called software development. Often developers haven't worked on the previous version of software, which results in a less than complete understanding of the initial design of the program. This sort of software maintenance by successive generations of programmers can make programming very difficult and error-prone. When working in this environment, the development time becomes a staring game - staring at the code, staring at the program output, staring at the ceiling - trying to imagine what the program does. There is really no way for developers to see how a program operates while it is running. That is, until now.

VisiComp lets developers see the wheels go 'round
The VisiComp 1.2 Java software visualization tool provides dynamic runtime information for developers so that they can see and comprehend, implicitly, what the program is doing. With the VisiComp 1.2 Java software visualization tool, the opaque black box that obscured the program's internal data structures is made completely transparent, allowing developers to see exactly what their program is doing, internally, as it runs. Within a separate VisiComp viewing window objects within the program under observation are visually represented by drawn boxes and the relationships between them are shown as connecting arrows. Often the resulting picture bears an uncanny resemblance to the original design diagrams that were scribbled on a white board by the engineer who developed the initial program with two important distinctions:
1. VisiComp shows what the program is actually doing (as opposed to what the developer hopes it should do.)
2. The rendering is continually updated as the program runs.

More than just a debugger
Unlike debuggers that only provide microscopic peaks at individual data items within a suspended program, VisiComp 1.2 shows the Big Picture and animates it as it changes. The developer can see entire data structures as they are created and manipulated by the program under observation. VisiComp 1.2 is invaluable for debugging but is also worthwhile for verification, validation and testing, comprehension of inherited code and use as an educational tool. Unlike static design tools such as modeling or class browsers that provide only hints about the structure of the program, VisiComp 1.2 reveals what is really happening within the Java program under observation.

Bottom line, by allowing developers to see their programs run, VisiComp helps them to:
1. determine where bugs might be
2. identify potential memory leaks
3. verify correct functionality
4. test program integrity

About VisiComp
VisiComp, Inc. was founded in 1999. The company designs and markets state-of-the-art software visualization development tools for the Java marketplace. Incorporating boxes and arrows, the VisiComp products draw a picture that allows developers to visually see their programs running. This drastically cuts development time providing better personal productivity for Java software developers. The company is headquartered in Felton, Calif., and sells its products worldwide. Additional information can be attained on VisiComp's web site at:

www.visicomp.com

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