Lebanon, NH, July 21, 2008 – isee systems has announced the release of isee NetSim, the next generation in web-based model sharing, along with version 9.1 releases of its market leading iThink® and STELLA® Systems Thinking software. “isee NetSim makes it incredibly easy to publish models to the web,” says Joanne Egner, Managing Director of isee systems. “A simple, three-click, wizard driven process that does not require web design or engineering experience publishes an iThink or STELLA model for viewing and running by anyone who has a browser. Together, isee NetSim and new version 9.1 features continue to enhance a modeler’s ability to build, share, and learn from models that simulate complex systems.”

isee NetSim is an add-on utility for iThink and STELLA version 9.1. Publication is a wizard-driven process that includes clicking on a model file that has been exported from iThink or STELLA, selecting a web server location and then publishing the simulation to that site. isee NetSim users can also create a free account with web hosting partner Forio Business Simulations to avoid server software requirements. Egner reports that an isee NetSim Server component will be available soon.

“isee NetSim dramatically expands our ability to share models with clients and colleagues” says Mark Heffernan of Evans & Peck who served as a beta tester. “iThink’s strengths have always been its ease of use and the ability to communicate the way complex dynamic things work. isee Netsim coupled with the Storytelling feature already in iThink allows us to quickly and easily share these understandings with the world.”

Besides being able to publish models via isee NetSim, version 9.1 users will benefit from these new features:

Hierarchical modules simplify models of large, complex systems. Small, self-contained portions of a model can be linked together in a hierarchical system. Hierarchical modules can serve as reusable model templates or “building blocks” of generic structures. They also allow large models to be broken down into small, well-defined pieces to assist in testing and accommodate size limitations.

Polarity capabilities allow modelers to display cause and affect relationships between variables. Polarity is assigned to a Flow or Connector by right-clicking on the entity, and choosing “+/s” or “-/o.” Connections between model elements will reflect a positive or negative relationship using symbols that are set through Model Preferences.

Expanded data import and export functionality allows data import from multiple Excel worksheets. A new “Use table settings” exports data exactly as it appears in the table rather than exporting the values of model variables at the end of a simulation run or time interval.

New page size options in the Interface Preferences dialog make it easier to create Runtime and web-published models. Users set the size of the display window and assign a Home Page. Pages shown on the Interface Layer respect the sizing that was set.

Navigation buttons support Next Page, Previous Page, and Home Page navigation. Optional use of button titles and formats for Transparent Buttons makes it easy to add navigation or hyperlinks to your model.

New built-in functions – ARCSIN, ARCCOS and NormalCDF have been added to the list of available built-in functions.

Causal Loop Diagram capabilities allow mapping of high level causal relationships.

Expanded Ghost tool functionality connects variables across modules and automatically assigns module inputs and outputs.

Model Building & Simulation and Interface Creation tutorials provide step-by-step instruction by demonstrating the software mechanics and features used to build a simple model of a population constrained by natural resources.

For more information and pricing, visit www.iseesystems.com.   

About isee systems - isee systems (formerly High Performance Systems) is the world leader and innovator in Systems Thinking software. Founded in 1985, isee released STELLA®, the first software application to bring Systems Thinking to the desktop. In addition to STELLA which is primarily used by educators, isee offers iThink® for business simulation. Thousands of individuals and organizations in over 80 countries use isee software to gain insight and shared understanding of environmental, financial, organizational, biological, chemical, mathematical, humanistic, and other systems.

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