Dolphin Interconnect Solutions A/S has acquired the ToolWorks set of parallel processing and multiprocessing programming tools from struggling BBN Corp, for an undisclosed sum. Oslo-based Dolphin, which has its US headquarters in Westlake Village, California, says it will use the tools to expand the range of multiprocessor hardware and related software it offers to the OEM market. ToolWorks provides programmers with a common, platform-independent environment for developing workstation-targeted , high-performance or real-time applications, and includes the widely used TotalView debugger for parallel, multiprocessing and distributed computer systems software. Dolphin says it fits well with the technology it acquired from defunct supercomputer company Kendall Square Research at the end of last year (CI No 2,797). Dolphin uses commodity parts where it can for its hardware and software building blocks, allowing its OEMs and system integrators to use standard operating systems such as Unix and Windows NT for their systems. BBN, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, was a key player in the parallel supercomputer market during the 1980s, when it was known as Bolt Beranek and Newman, but restructured to concentrate on the Internet market at the beginning of this year. Nevertheless, the company recently posted a $56m loss for the year to June 30th.
