FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MIPS ABI GROUP ANNOUNCES SUPPORT STRATEGY FOR C++ APPLICATIONS ON MIPS ABI-COMPLIANT SYSTEMS
Mountain View, CA - August 15, 1995 - The MIPS ABI Group, Inc. today announced a strategy to support the C++ programming language on MIPS ABI-compliant systems. The ability to support C++ applications via the ABI is a significant breakthrough for the MIPS ABI Group, Inc. because it allows software vendors to generate ABI-compliant C++ code for the MIPS ABI generation platform, IRIX 5.3.
Requirements for applications using the C++ language to run on MIPS ABI-compliant systems can be found in the MIPS ABI C++ Support Policy; available on the MIPS ABI web site; www.mipsabi.org. Specifically, there are two main MIPS ABI C++ requirements; first, the application is built using a C++ compilation system with generates ABI-compliant code, and, secondly, only ABI-compliant C++ libraries generated by the C++ compilation system are used. Additionally, the application either does not need to be linked on site, or the C++ compilation system which was used to build the application is also available on all the current MIPS ABI platforms.
A C++ compilation system will normally include a C++ compiler, C++ libraries, a linker, and may include a debugger. If an application is built such that it does not need to be linked onsite, then any files required from C++ archives must be statically linked.
The MIPS ABI Group, Inc., is working with several C++ compiler vendors to provide C++ support for ABI-compliant systems. Edinburgh Portable Computer Ltd. (EPC) has begun shipping a C++ compilation system which fully satisfies the current ABI requirements. EPC is the first independent software vendor (ISV) to ship an ABI-compliant C++ compiler, though the MIPS ABI group expects other compiler vendors to follow. EPC supplies a family of high-quality, high-performance compilers for an unparalleled range of Unix platforms. Formed in 1984, EPC employs over 40 people; primarily based at the company's main development facility in Edinburgh, Scotland. EPC products are installed on thousands of UNIX systems throughout the world. "EPC is already seeing the benefit of the wider market available to us by developing products conforming to the MIPS ABI" states Geoff Millard, EPC CEO. "We are pleased to provide compilation systems which will enable other ISV's to get the same benefits." Several key independent software vendors (ISV's) who have C++ language dependencies, such as Legent Corporation and Applix, are now porting their applications to the MIPS ABI platform using the EPC C++ compilers.
The EPC C++ Compilation System includes a C++ compiler, standard libraries, a linker, and edb, EPC's interactive debugger, which can be used in either command-line or graphical mode, and is available on all MIPS ABI compliant systems produced by each of the companies represented in the MIPS ABI Group, Inc.
The MIPS ABI Group, Inc. will move to standardize all aspects of the C++ environment, including all aspects of hidden data, subsequent to approval of the ANSI X3J16/ISO WG21 C++ standard. At that time, it will be possible to combine object files and libraries created by different compilation systems, provided that the complication systems conform to that new standard. In the mean time, companies such as EPC can provide C++ compliance which adheres to the MIPS ABI short-term strategy.
About MIPS ABI Group, Inc.
The MIPS ABI Group, Inc. is a worldwide consortium of industry leading computer platform vendors, including Concurrent Computer Corporation, Control Data Systems Inc., Dansk Data Elektronik, NEC Corporation, Pyramid Technology Corporation, Siemens Nixdorf Informationssysteme AG, Silicon Graphics Inc., SONY Corporation, and Tandem Computers.
The company members of the MIPS ABI Group, Inc. hold leadership
positions in many technologies, including SMP, fault- tolerance, and
visual computing, and provides application developers with access to
the third largest worldwide UNIX market through a single software port.
The ABI delivers a proven binary- compatible, feature-rich environment
based on UNIX System V, Release 4(SVR4). Applications ported to the
MIPS ABI reference platform run without modification on all MIPS
ABI-compliant systems.
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