Visual Numerics(R) Announces Availability of PyIMSL(TM)

New Python Wrappers for the IMSL® C Library Deliver Powerful Prototype to Production Numerical Application Development

HOUSTON, TX–(EMWNews – August 19, 2008) – Today, Visual

Numerics, Inc., a 37-year producer of advanced numerical analysis

and visualization

software announced the immediate availability of PyIMSL, a

pre-built, fully-tested and documented collection of Python wrappers to the

mathematical and statistical algorithms in the IMSL C Numerical

Library. With PyIMSL, developers can use Python and the IMSL C Library

for rapid prototyping of numerical applications. For production

applications, they can then directly deploy the Python application into

production or if they choose to rewrite the application in C/C++, use the

same mathematical and statistical algorithms in both development

environments. PyIMSL is unique in that developers get consistency between

the algorithms used for prototyping as used for production, reducing the

cost and time-to-market to move numerical applications from prototype to

production.

Visual Numerics has developed Python wrappers for all IMSL C Library

numerical analysis functionality. Developers can now write applications in

Python and have PyIMSL wrappers call code in IMSL C Library DLLs or shared

libraries. The PyIMSL API closely matches the IMSL C Library API, so any

applications that are taken from a Python prototype to a C/C++ production

environment will make use of the IMSL C Library mathematics and statistics

functions by simply calling the same API. With no differences in prototype

and production algorithms, developers can create applications quicker and

with fewer differences that need to be resolved.

“As a long-time technical advisor to Visual Numerics, I’m pleased to see

the company extending the IMSL C Library to Python developers,” said Dr.

Gary McClelland, Professor of Psychology at the University of Colorado. “It

gives their commercial customers an outstanding option to quickly prototype

in Python and then write production applications in C using the same

algorithms. For the education community, making the IMSL Libraries

accessible to Python developers is important given the growing popularity

of the language. Python is very popular on campus these days, but good

numerical packages are difficult to find.”

Python is a popular open source language and growing in popularity. The

Tiobe Programming Community Index for August 2008 ranks Python #6, an

increase by two spots since the August 2007 rankings. PyIMSL gives

developers the option to develop in Python while still leveraging the

comprehensive mathematical and statistical algorithms available in the IMSL

C Library. Key benefits of PyIMSL include the following:

--  Reduced cost and time-to-market to move numerical applications from

    prototype to production. Because PyIMSL wraps IMSL C Library algorithms, an

    application written initially in PyIMSL and then ported to C/C++ will

    leverage the same algorithms and deliver the same results.

--  Numerical library accessibility. With PyIMSL, Visual Numerics

    continues to deliver the industry's most accessible library of math and

    statistical algorithms. Developers can now access IMSL Library

    functionality from Python in addition to having native C, Java, .NET, and

    Fortran options.

--  Advanced numerical analysis for Python. Open source libraries have

    limited analytics in Python, and current Python tools lack comprehensive

    and supported analytical libraries. PyIMSL delivers industry-proven and

    commercially seasoned IMSL C Library algorithms in the Python language.

    

“We are committed to offering our customers the highest quality, most

sophisticated numerical analysis solutions for mainstream platforms,” said

Sean FitzGerald, Vice President of Technology and Consulting of Visual

Numerics. “Visual Numerics is proud to extend the IMSL Libraries to Python

and bring such strong analytics to Python developers.”

Availability

PyIMSL is available for immediate use. PyIMSL is available at no charge to

current IMSL C Library customers and developers must have the IMSL C

Library V5.5 or higher installed to use PyIMSL. Please contact Visual

Numerics for details.

About Visual Numerics, Inc.

Visual Numerics has provided technical software solutions for numerical

analysis and visualization for more than three decades. The company’s

software products help users understand complex data from a variety of

sources and build business-critical applications. Visual Numerics offers

two product lines: the IMSL® Numerical Libraries for powerful

mathematical and statistical analysis and the PV-WAVE® visual data

analysis development environment. Visual Numerics also offers consulting

services for applications that involve mathematical, statistical, or visual

data analysis to meet today’s business analytical needs.

Major corporations, academic institutions, and research laboratories

worldwide use Visual Numerics’ software tools, including such high profile

companies as: SAP; Teradata; Barclays Global Investors; Humana, Sandia

National Laboratories; and Boeing Company. This large and diverse customer

base is supported through a direct sales force, wholly owned international

subsidiaries, and international distributors. For more information about

Visual Numerics, please visit www.vni.com.