Wolfram Research has released Mathematica 8 (http://www.wolfram.com/mathematica/), the latest version of its flagship computation, development, and deployment platform that introduces the concept of linguistically controlled computing.

Integrating technology of Wolfram|Alpha, the Mathematica-powered computational knowledge engine, makes it possible to enter math or data calculations in plain English and get immediate answers or start an extensive analysis, according to Wolfram CEO Stephen Wolfram. Free-form input is a new entry point into the Mathematica idea-to-deployment workflow, but Mathematica 8 adds a major new endpoint too: generation of C code and standalone executables.

Using Mathematica, organizations no longer have to rely on separate tools for prototyping and deployment, but can complete the entire workflow with one integrated tool, says Wolfram. But he says that even with these major enhancements at either end of the workflow, the most significant additions in Mathematica 8 are the more than 500 new functions in many new and extended application areas.

Mathematica 8 is available immediately for Mac OS X, Windows XP/Vista/7, Linux x86, and compatible systems. Contact Wolfram Research for pricing options.