by Anton Shilov
12/05/2002 | 07:57 PM
Intel introduced updated tools to help software developers optimize applications for Intel's expanding family of architectures with key innovations such as Intel's Hyper Threading Technology. Version 7.0 of Intel C++ and Intel Fortran compilers for Windows and Linux can improve the performance of applications for Intel Itanium 2, Intel Xeon and Intel Pentium processor-based systems up to 40% when compared to compilers currently available from other vendors.
The new compilers support many features of Compaq Visual Fortran, including command line compatibility and include extensive integration into Microsoft Visual Studio. The Linux version provides GNU compatibility to C++ with the adoption of the C++ application binary interface. These compatibility features make it easier for application developers to start using Intel compilers to see how their applications might perform better on the Intel Architecture. Intel's compilers also help developers produce multi-threaded applications and take advantage of Intel's Hyper-Threading technology. Threading is a software development technique that identifies tasks that can be done simultaneously.<%BANNER[article]%>
The new version 7.0 Intel Compilers include an auto-parallelization option that automatically looks for opportunities in applications to create multiple execution threads and enhancements to OpenMP support.
Version 7.0 of the Intel C++ Compilers for Windows and Linux are now available for the suggested list prices of $399 each. Version 7.0 of the Intel Fortran Compilers for Windows and Linux are now available for the suggested list prices of $499 and $699 respectively. The compilers are available today from Intel and resellers worldwide for download and will be available on CDROMs by the end of the month.
Hyper-Threading technology has been here since May, 21, 2001, when Intel first unveiled its Xeon processors with Hyper-Threading technology support. What obstacles stopped Intel from unveiling the Hyper-Threading optimised compiler before they launched the desktop Pentium 4 3.06GHz CPU with this technology enabled? If they did so, we would have a bit more Hyper-Threading optimised software and more people would buy the Pentium 4 CPUs now. It seems to be quite a fashionable trend, since AMD as well as its partners from Portland Group still have not launched their x86-64 optimised compiler. Of course, there are some developer guides on AMD web-site, but they do not seem to be enough. What indisputable performance advantages the Athlon 64 will offer to end-users in early 2003? I think there will be very few of them, but given that there also will be only a handful of AMD x86-64 processors at the launch, this fact does not seem to affect the sales dramatically. On the other hand, it will definitely influence later, when more CPUs will be available, but no powerful software for them will be present. Of course, you can still run 32-bit applications on x86-64 platform, but there are Intel Pentium 4 processors that can run them not less successfully.