( ESNUG 287 Item 12 ) --------------------------------------------- [4/30/98]
Subject: (ESNUG 285 #6 286 #4) Formal Verification, Formality & Chrysalis
> OK, John. What's your take on Formality's current capability? Is it the
> usual 'trust us, we'll take care of the problems', or does the approach
> Synopsys has taken -- same compiler for DC and Formality, use of .db file
> to represent logic elements, switching DC versions to find differences, the
> same mapper, parser, synthesizer, etc., etc.
>
> Are the comments above meaning to say: We'll work w/ the tool, hacking away
> until it does the job; because of the investment in Syn (dare to interpret
> that as a double entendre). If so, we're in the same boat, and should plan
> on added time and cost in solving the verifications we do.
>
> Or, should designers looking to Formality to chase arduous regression
> simulations at the gate level consider it a reasonable alternative? Is
> any user going to understand the risk in using Formality also going to be
> working on real silicon? Or the issues he (and Chrysalis) raises
> significant enough to bother about? Some clear and conclusive answers
> would be helpful!
>
> - Frank J. Rich
> MRT
From: Craig Cochran <craig@Synopsys.COM>
John,
I was quite astonished to find this message from Frank Rich, planting
ouright falsehoods about Formality in ESNUG . Frank didn't identify
himself, so allow me to identify him for you - he is the PR Representative
for Chrysalis. It's not enough that Chrysalis is spreading outright lies
about Formality in advertisements and statements to customers - Their PR
guy feels it's appropriate to use your user-oriented medium to covertly
spread false marketing messages about his competition. I know this is not
how you intend people to use ESNUG.
In any case, allow me clear things up for your readers. Formality is NOT
based on Design Compiler. It does not use the .db format to represent
designs, it does recompile the design separately from Design Compiler using
a different version parser, and it DOES correctly verify 0,1,X and Z states
and check the sequential behavior of flip-flops. Formality is in use today
at major customers and already has silicon success - and has displaced
Chrysalis in many accounts that have purchased it. Why? Higher
performance & capacity, excellent debugging capabilities and it is a much
easier tool to use. If Chrysalis can only compete by spreading false
statements, I think that makes a statement in and of itself.
Sorry to put my marketing hat on in your user-oriented forum. We now
return you to your regularly scheduled programming.
- Craig Cochran
Product Manager - Formal Verification
Synopsys Inc.
[ Editor's Note: It's my personal policy to not let *any* EDA sales or
marketing people post anything on ESNUG other than purely *technical*
replies to what users bring up. (i.e. ESNUG is meant for technical
discussion and *user* opinions -- anyone can put techie stuff on ESNUG
(even marketing hacks), but no sales pitches are allowed!) I appologize
for not "catching" Frank while editing. Sorry. (I must give Frank the
Biggest Balls Of The Week Award, though, because he must have known
he'd be caught. My kudos. :^) - John ]
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