( DAC 99 Item 46 ) ----------------------------------------------- [6/25/99]

 BRAVE NEW (TEST) WORLDS  In professional wrestling terms, EDA tools for
 *functional* test are in an 8-way or 10-way 'free for all'.  Read for
 yourself and you tell me who's going to come out in top!

    "Cadence's Affirma Cockpit (i.e. their warmed-over DAI Signalscan)

     Another example of an oversized beast which is supposed to be the
     end-all of all verification tools containing DAI's signalscan,
     NC-Verilog, Affirma Model checking, yada, yada, yada.  Signalscan
     is still a standalone tool and has some new upgraded features for
     doing transaction checking (things like verifying a valid PCI
     cycle has occurred, a valid cell transfer is okay, etc.).  Signalscan
     still has its source-code window browser, but it seems Novas Debussy
     and Veritool Undertow have now surpassed its overall capabilities."

         - an anon engineer