The new IRIX 6.0 operating system supports the creation of applications which use 64-bit features of the new MIPS(r) R8000(tm) superscalar RISC microprocessor, including record-setting floating point performance of 310 SPECfp92, 64-bit logical operations and flat 64-bit virtual addresses. The operating system supports all existing 32-bit applications. The IRIX 6.0 operating system will be available on Silicon Graphics' Power Challenge(tm) line of shared-memory supercomputing systems which begin shipping this summer.
"IRIX 6.0 is a powerful 64-bit multiprocessing operating system which offers applications developers true supercomputing performance," said Ron Bernal, vice president and general manager of Silicon Graphics' Supercomputing Systems Division. "Developers who want to create 64-bit applications can now take advantage of IRIX 6.0 on the Power Challenge system-a combination that provides revolutionary price/performance."Compilers MIPSpro(tm) compilers, a complete family of optimizing 64-bit compilers for R8000 based systems, also accompany the IRIX 6.0 operating system. This compiler family includes support for Fortran77, C and C++ and employs powerful optimization techniques like software pipelining and automatic loop blocking. These techniques enable a wide range of scientific and engineering applications to realize supercomputing performance on R8000 based systems. The compilers also support language extensions to facilitate porting of applications written for other supercomputing platforms such as Cray and Convex. In addition, the new compilers are complemented by CHALLENGEcomplib(tm), a comprehensive collection of high-performance, industry-standard mathematical libraries which are optimized for R8000 RISC microprocessor-based systems.
The compiler family also includes Power(tm) Fortran77 and Power C, the latest generation of parallelizing compilers for Power Challenge systems. These compilers employ automatic parallelization technology that allows programmers to easily take advantage of the multiprocessing performance capabilities of Power Challenge systems. The compilers also facilitate user-assisted parallelization by providing a comprehensive set of standards-based comment directives to assist the compilers in the parallelization process. Programmers can apply these comment-based directives in their Fortran77 or C code to further boost parallel performance.
CASE Tools Silicon Graphics' powerful CASEVision(tm)/WorkShop suite of software development tools have been enhanced to work with 64-bit executables in the IRIX 6.0 development environment. Tools include a debugger, performance tools, static analyzer and the CASEVision/Workshop Pro MPF Fortran parallel analyzer. Silicon Graphics, Inc. is the leading manufacturer of high-performance visual computing systems. The company delivers interactive three-dimensional graphics, digital media and multiprocessing supercomputing technologies to technical, scientific and creative professionals. Its subsidiary, MIPS Technologies, Inc., designs and licenses the industry's leading RISC processor technology for the computer systems and embedded control markets. Silicon Graphics has offices worldwide and headquarters in Mountain View, California.
Contact:Sandi Weir 415-390-5255
Silicon Graphics, IRIS and the Silicon Graphics logo are registered trademarks, and IRIX, Power Challenge, CHALLENGEcomplib and CASEVision are trademarks, of Silicon Graphics, Inc. MIPS is a registered trademark and R8000 and MIPSpro are trademarks of MIPS Technologies, Inc. UNIX is a registered trademark of the X/Open Company Ltd. in the United Kingdom and other countries.