Intel Ramps Up with New Compilers

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Preparing for a faster class of servers and systems, Intel this week updated its compilers to version 7.1.

The Santa Clara, Calif.-based chip making giant said its latest tweaking includes support for its Intel Pentium M processor, which is part of its Centrino mobile technology.

A compiler translates a high-level programming language, such as C++, into machine language the processor can understand. An efficient compiler is an important part of helping software run at top speeds.

Intel said version 7.1 of the Intel C++ Compilers for Microsoft Windows and Linux list at $399 each. The FORTRAN version of the compilers for Windows and Linux list at $499 and $699, respectively.

Each package includes a 32-bit and 64-bit compiler to help with application development across multiple platforms. The compilers are available today from Intel and resellers worldwide for download and will be available on CDROMs by the end of the month.

Intel said its C++ Compilers work with the major development environments such as Microsoft Visual C++ .NET, Microsoft Visual Studio.NET, and widely used Linux and GNU development tools. The No. 1 semiconductor maker also said it helps improve application performance by using advanced compiler techniques, such as Interprocedural Optimization and Profile-Guided Optimization.

The company also said its compilers help developers produce multi-threaded applications and use Intel’s Hyper-Threading Technology and include an auto-parallelization option that automatically looks for opportunities to create multiple execution threads, as well as enhanced OpenMP support for directive-based parallelization.

Among the companies signing up for the new compilers is Oracle , which this week said it is tweaking its popular Oracle 9i Database platform using Intel C++ Compilers for Windows and Linux.

The Redwood Shores, Calif.-based software giant said the new translators will help it to improve the performance of its Oracle 9i Database Release 2 and future database products running on Intel Pentium 4, Xeon and Itanium 2 processor-based systems.

“Our work together highlights the commitment to help customers deploy industrial strength Oracle technology on Intel-based servers at a fraction of the cost of proprietary platforms,” Intel Software Products Division general manager Jonathan Khazam said in a statement.