Silicon Graphics announces compliance of MIPS ABI
Tracy Perkins
SILICON GRAPHICS ANNOUNCES MIPS ABI COMPLIANCE WITH RELEASE OF IRIX 5.0
[ The following press release has been slightly edited to remove any blatant
commercial aspect of the press release. MJW:moderator]
MOUNTAIN VIEW, California (February 22, 1993) -- Silicon Graphics, Inc. (NYSE:
SGI) today announced IRIX(tm) 5.0, a new release of the company's enhanced
implementation of the UNIX(r) operating system. The new release is based on
UNIX System V, Release 4.1 and will operate on all of Silicon Graphics' powerful
RISC PCs, workstations, servers and supercomputing systems. The IRIX 5.0
operating system also is fully compliant with the MIPS ABI (application binary
interface). This compliance means that MIPS ABI-compliant software
applications can run unchanged on Silicon Graphics systems, as well as on all
other MIPS(r) RISC-based systems from several UNIX computer manufacturers.
[ It is my understanding that IRIX 5.0 is only for the Challenge machines,
and that you must wait until IRIX 5.1 for a release for the entire SGI
product line. MJW:moderator]
The MIPS ABI allows one version of a software product to run unchanged across
all MIPS(r) RISC-based systems manufactured by MIPS ABI group members. The MIPS
ABI group members are ATT/NCR, Concurrent Computer Corporation, Control Data
Systems Inc., NEC Corporation, Olivetti, Pellucid Inc., Pyramid Technology
Corporation, Siemens-Nixdorf Inc., Silicon Graphics Inc., SONY Microsystems
Company and Tandem Computers. The group includes UNIX International and key
independent software vendors, such as Oracle Corp. and SAS Institute, as well
as UNIX operating system providers UNIX Systems Laboratories and Unisoft .
The IRIX 5.0 operating system is based on UNIX System V, Release 4.1 (SVR4),
placing this latest version of IRIX in the mainstream of UNIX products. IRIX
5.0 includes new compiler technology and support for Dynamic Shared Objects, a
key component in achieving compatibility across other MIPS ABI-compliant
platforms. IRIX 5.0 also includes the latest releases of the X11 Window
System(tm), X11 Release 5, and the OSF/Motif(tm) graphical user interface. The
new release also incorporates security technology derived from Trusted IRIX/B
(Silicon Graphics' B1 security level operating system), as well as the Extended
Linking Format (ELF) for executable images and their components.
IRIX 5.0 also is the company's third full release of IRIX that incorporates
symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) support--reflecting Silicon Graphics'
leadership in SMP computing by delivering third-generation SMP software.
Silicon Graphics' focus on technical and creative applications, such as image
processing, digital film and video production, computational fluid dynamics,
virtual reality and visual simulation, require both powerful processing and
interactive visualization capabilities. Through the use of Silicon Graphics'
leading graphics and symmetric multiprocessing technology, the company's
binary-compatible product lines running IRIX 5.0 are designed to derive the
most performance and features from technical applications. IRIX 5.0 also
features REACT, a set of real-time extensions to IRIX to make Silicon Graphics
systems well-suited to time-critical applications. REACT allows the systems to
implement real-time processes simultaneously with traditional UNIX time-sharing
processes, and allows IRIX to deliver the best interactive response time in the
industry.
IRIX 5.0 will be available in first quarter 1993 on Silicon Graphics'
Challenge(tm) L and XL server systems and Onyx(tm) graphics supercomputers. The
new version will be fully available in May 1993 on all shipping Silicon Graphics
products. Updates from previous IRIX releases are available from Silicon
Graphics. 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.
- end -
Silicon Graphics, IRIS and the Silicon Graphics logo are registered
trademarks,
and IRIX, Challenge and Onyx are trademarks, of Silicon Graphics, Inc.
MIPS is a registered trademark of MIPS Technologies, Inc.
UNIX is a registered trademark of UNIX System Laboratories, Inc. Motif is
a
trademark of the Open Software Foundation.
The X Window System is a trademark of MIT. OSF and OSF/Motif are trademarks
of
the Open Software Foundation, Inc.