README neurosys

The files comprising Parallel NeuroSys have been split among three
subdirectories:  solve, neurondiz, and utils.  The files in the
solve directory can be used to build a program for solving systems
of ODE's modelling neuronal networks on parallel computers and
networks of workstations.  The files in the neurondiz directory can be
used to build parallel programs for visualizing the output of the
solver.  The files in the utils subdirectory are serial programs that
may be helpful in working with the other programs.

We've also included the original paper on Parallel Neurosys in
postscript.  Note that since publication, we found a bug in the
solver.  Correcting the bug only affected reported runtimes and
parallel efficiencies. In general, runtimes are improved. However
parallel runtimes aren't proportionally improved. So parallel
efficiencies have been reduced.

The Parallel NeuroSys Project currently (July, 2000) has no budget and
no staff.  So we cannot provide support, and we may be very slow in
providing bug fixes.  However, we do welcome your comments, suggestions
and bug reports.  We'd also be very grateful if you would send us
models you've successfully incorporated into NeuroSys and let us know
how you've used the software.  All correspondence should be addressed
to peter@usfca.edu.


LICENSE
-------
This software is licensed under the BSD 2-Clause License:

Copyright (c) 1998, Peter Pacheco and the University of San Francisco
All rights reserved.

Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
are met:

- Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.

- Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
"AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS
FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT,
INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING,
BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES;
LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER
CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT
LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN
ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE
POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
---------------
This program is an outgrowth of work begun by USF's Applied Mathematics
Research Laboratory during the academic year 1997-1998.  Thanks to the
members of the math lab, Warren Cully, Nick Moffitt, Nick Rugai, Katie
Sewell, Toshi Uchino, Emily Xu.
