Intel targets multithreaded software for multicore processors

R. Colin Johnson, EETimes
3/3/2005 11:00 PM EST

PORTLAND, Ore. — By solving the parallel processing problem with application-specific languages, Intel Corp. Senior Fellow Justin Rattner predicted that future multicore processors will divide and conquer rather than depend faster single-processor speeds.

Speaking at the Intel Developer Forum Thursday (March 3), Rattner focused on how Intel is addressing parallel processing and bandwidth challenges. Intel reported successful fabrication of its first samples of a dual-core Pentium, called the Extreme Edition, and plans to begin delivering it during the first half of 2005.

Intel also said it has ten additional multicore processors in the pipeline for 2006 and beyond that will address different segments of the server, network, desktop and mobile markets. Rattner's job is to make sure the parallel processing capability of the multicore engines is fully utilized by software.

"The general-purpose approach we had been pursuing hadn't made much progress despite many years of effort. But now I think we have a winning approach. That is, we want to solve parallel processing with application-specific languages, as opposed to trying to create a general-purpose, parallel programming language."

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