path: root/cad/chipmunk/pkg-descr

  		    Chipmunk CAD  (Jan 1993 Revision)
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This directory contains a revised public beta-test version of the
Caltech electronic CAD distribution. This distribution contains tools
for schematic capture, netlist creation, and analog and digital
simulation (log), IC mask layout, extraction, and DRC (wol), simple
chip compilation (wolcomp), MOSIS fabrication request generation
(mosis), netlist comparison (netcmp), data plotting (view) and
postscript graphics editing (until). These tools were used exclusively
for the design and test of all the integrated circuits described in
Carver Mead's book "Analog VLSI and Neural Systems".  Until was used
as the primary tool for figure creation for the book.  The directory
also contains an example of an analog VLSI chip that was designed and
fabricated with these tools, and an example of an Actel
field-programmable gate array design that was simulated and converted
to Actel format with these tools (example).

These tools were originally written for HP 200 Series ("Chipmunk")
computers, and were later ported to Unix and the X Windows System.
Many people contributed to the design and porting of these tools; we
have made an attempt to credit authors in each package, and regret any
omisions.  Carver Mead provided the inspiration, initiative, and
financial support for many of the tools in this package; in several
cases (wol and wolcomp) he wrote the original prototypes as well. The
Systems Development Foundation, Hewlett Packard, and the Office of
Naval Research were the main sources of funding for these tools. These
tools are distributed under a license very similar to the GNU license;
the minor changes protect Caltech from liability. Each tar file
contains this license.