ACCESS
A Newsletter for the MIPS ABI Community
Number 2 Volume 5
Table of Contents
MIPS ABI Group
completes its first fiscal year as a corporation
Heinz Diehl, MIPS ABI President and Chairman
As I assume the role of the MIPS ABI Group
President and CEO, I often marvel
at the constant change that surrounds our industry. In some ways the
constant change seems to prevent us from being able to "take a step back"
and plan effectively. However, at the same time, that same constant change
seems to propel us toward making our goal: more software for less cost on
the MIPS-based UNIX platforms. After all, our goal in the MIPS ABI Group is
to master the change that comes with bringing a software package from one
platform to another, and it is about reducing the required cost and effort
to do that port when moving from one MIPS machine to another one.
The year 1995 has been a very successful one for the MIPS ABI Group; we've
formed our own organization, which has proven already to be an efficient
resource for ISVs, and users are porting to the MIPS ABI rather than to a
specific vendor's machine. We had set a goal to have 35 major ISVs on
board, and we have reached this already, well before the end of 1995. We
also planned to have professional marketing and technical support programs
in place, and those activities are well under way.
New challenges wait for us in the coming year. We need to promote name
recognition for the MIPS ABI, allowing the benefits of our mission to be
more clearly understood by ISVs and other members of industry. We must also
build our credibility, so that vendors and ISVs can be sure that software
ported to the MIPS ABI is a far superior solution to vendor-specific ports.
And, we must not relax our determination to support our target markets in
every way necessary.
In the coming year, the MIPS ABI Group will need to adjust to the current
changes in our industry, such as UNIX source code technology changes and
64-bit issues. We look forward to working with you, our partners, to
embrace these changes with both vision and action.
James W. Truher,
MIPS ABI Technical Services Manager
The MIPS ABI Group Inc. presence on the
internet can be found on our Web
site at http://www.mipsabi.org. This Web server is an INDY running IRIX 5.3
and is furnished by Silicon Graphics. Our Web site has many interesting White
Papers about the MIPS ABI as well as
on-line versions of ACCESS, our quarterly newsletter. Also on our Web site
is information about how to get started building your own MIPS ABI
applications, as well as an on-line version of the recently published MIPS
ABI Applications Directory.
The MIPS ABI Web site has the current version of the Conformance Guide 1.2
(a.k.a. Black Book 1.1) as well as the new version of the Conformance
Guide. The Frequently Asked Questions page answers many of the questions
that can arise while doing a MIPS ABI port. IRIX 5.3 patches that are
required to bring the standard installation of IRIX up to being an approved
Reference Platform, are also available on our Web site .
Check out our Web site and see what's new with the MIPS ABI, and when you
fill in the visitor's page, we'll send you a free MIPS ABI mouse pad!
James W. Truher,
MIPS ABI Technical Services Manager
The MIPS ABI technical committee has
been hard at work improving and adding
features to the specification of the MIPS ABI Group. This article describes
and explains what's new in the 1.2 version of the MIPS ABI Conformance
Guide. The following new sections have been added to the Conformance Guide:
- libabi
- mtio
- Relocation
- Dynamic Linking
The follow sections have been expanded for greater functionality:
- additional flags to abicc
- additional calls in libc, libnsl, libmutex
- additional flags to cpio
The most exciting areas are those areas where new functionality has been
created.
The Conformance Guide 1.2 contains support for asynchronous I/O. The
library libabi.so.1 contains routines that perform asynchronous I/O
operations based on the I/O routines documented in the POSIX 1003.1b
(Real-Time) standard. The routines have been implemented to use a callback
function for completion notification rather than real-time signals. This
allows for more flexibility and increased performance.
Also in systems conforming to the Conformance Guide 1.2 is support for tape
manipulation ioctl calls. These are a standard set of binary compatible
ioctl calls for positioning and movement of tape devices. This definition
will allow for a machine independent mechanism for tape positioning and
manipulation.
The Conformance Guide also incorporates the specification for an expanded
Global Offset Table (GOT). The current limitation of 16K external
references has been a serious limitation for many application providers. By
increasing the size of the GOT, application providers may create larger DSO
libraries than are currently allowed. Future versions of the psABI will
include this specification, the MIPS ABI Group has adopted this expanded
GOT Conformance Guide 1.2.
Lastly, a specification for Dynamic Linking has been added to the
Conformance Guide. This section defines how a process starts and finishes
and what the order is for resolving needed objects.
Many areas of the Conformance Guide have been updated and extended. Further
specification of system calls and additional arguments to many commands are
also included.
One of the areas of feature enhancements has been the specific library
calls for libc, libnsl, and lib mutex. Many interfaces have been added to the specification to make
application writing easier.
Also, flags to abicc have been added, which allow programmers to take
advantage of the expanded GOT, as well as place constant data in read-only
memory. The cpio command was enhanced to include the ability to disable
read ahead and automatic volume switching. This was done to allow for the
installation of applications that reside on multi-file tapes.
The MIPS ABI Group is constantly trying to provide additional features and
functionality.
If you have an idea for additional functionality that you would like to see
in the MIPS ABI specification, send mail to jtruher@mipsabi.org. Also,
check out the specification on the MIPS ABI Web site at
http://www.mipsabi.org.
This section of ACCESS highlights contributions from MIPS ABI member
company marketing programs managers, discussing co-marketing opportunities
for MIPS ABI developers who have finished ports of their products. We urge
you to review this valuable information, and participate in these program
offerings to help you market your products.
If you are interested in taking advantage of any of these marketing
programs, please feel free to contact the individual companies directly. A
list of the appropriate contacts can be found on the back page of this
newsletter.
Siemens Nixdorf established the Alliance
Partner Program to enrich the
application capabilities of SNIs MIPS-based RM systems, running UNIX« and
WindowsNT«. Companies who have joined the program receive comprehensive
assistance for developing, maintaining
and marketing their products on RM systems. SNI is committed to their
partners and provides unbiased
support to ensure commercial success. All major software manufacturers have
joined this program, offering RM customers a complete range of
applications.
Products that are available on RM systems are published in a software
catalog, which is distributed by SNI. This catalog is also available on the
Web: follow Partners
in SNIs home page http://www.mch.sni.de/. For more information about the
SNI Alliance Partner Program, please contact:
Werner Kuballa
+49 89 636 44 916
+49 89 636 44 102 fax
e-mail: werner.kuballa@mch.sni.de
Control Data has, in recent years, evolved into
a systems integrator that
focuses primarily in the areas of electronic commerce, product data
management, and engineering design. As a result of this, Control Data's
third party applications program today is focused on the following:
- Establishing and maintaining a limited number of strategic relationships
with third-party applications providers in support of the integration
activities noted above. In addition, Control Data frequently acquires
third-party applications on a case-by-case basis to meet specific client
requirements.
- Maintaining existing relationships with third-party suppliers in order to
support Control Data's large installed customer base, consisting primarily
of MIPS-based hardware running MIPS ABI compliant systems and third party
applications.
For 30 years prior to 1991, Control Data was a "full line" computer systems
supplier - offering a broad range of hardware, systems software, and
applications software in a number of target markets. Third-party
applications were a critical part of this offering, and Control Data had an
aggressive third-party program to ensure availability of a broad range of
third party applications.
As a result of that business, Control Data continues to provide support to
a large installed base of customers, primarily on MIPS ABI compliant
systems. A major reason for Control Data's participation in MIPS ABI is to
provide on-going support to the company's installed customer base in the
areas of systems software and installed third party applications software,
as well as continued access to current versions of these applications. By
providing this on-going support, the company maintains a high level of
customer satisfaction, and this in turn facilitates customer migration to
newer technology hardware platforms when the customer is ready to make such
a move.
To this end, Control Data endeavors to maintain long term relationships
with third-party vendors whose products are in use in this installed base.
The major database vendors, such as Oracle, are noteworthy examples.
For more information on Control Data's programs, contact:
Erwin Huntley
408-541-4332
408-541-4206 fax
e-mail: erwin.huntley@cdc.com
The Silicon Graphics Developer Program exists
for just one purpose - to
help ISVs be successful in creating and marketing great products for
Silicon Graphics computer systems. The Developer Programs group has
designed developer service and support programs to meet a wide range of
needs from technical support to co-marketing.
It is especially important for MIPS ABI developers to be aware that they
are eligible to apply for membership in our program. As members, they will
receive all of the benefits of the SGI Developer Program and, in addition,
will receive additional technical and marketing information important to
MIP ABI development.
Here is a brief summary of some of the more important benefits of developer
program membership:
- Technical Support: All developer program members
are eligible to receive technical support from Silicon Graphics and MIPS
ABI engineers for specific questions relating to software development and
porting. Technical inquiries from program members can be submitted via
electronic mail to devprogram@sgi.com.
- Technical Information: The ToolBox CD-ROM and
the Developer News newsletter are two of the ways we provide you with
late-breaking technical information, development tools, and sample code.
The Developer Program also sponsors the Silicon Graphics Developer Forum, a
three-and-a-half day conference where developers get first-hand information
on Silicon Graphics' technology and product direction. Past forums have
always included information and sessions on MIPS ABI development.
- Development Systems: SGI knows that access to computer equipment for
product development can be critical to your success. The developer program
has a purchase program that provides substantial discounts on SGI
development systems, including the MIPS ABI reference platform. SGI also
maintain a rental program for meeting short term development and QA needs.
Developers are normally limited to the purchase of two systems per year. In
addition, members can gain access
to SGI's Porting Centers located in Mountain View, Los Angeles, and Boston.
Other porting centers are located in Canada and at various locations in
Europe.
- Marketing Programs: Developer program members that have products ported
to Silicon Graphics or to the MIPS ABI are invited to list their products
in the Silicon Graphics Applications Directory. The directory is printed
annually and is widely distributed to developers, the SGI sales field sales
force, and many of Silicon Graphics customers. It is also accessible from
Silicon Surf, SGI's public Web server. The third-party information on the
web site is updated daily as we receive additions and changes from program
members. Our Application Directory is the primary information source of
software and hardware products for Silicon Graphics. The program also
produces HOT MIX, a software demo and try-before-you-buy CD-ROM that is
shipped with every Silicon Graphics desktop system. Developers for SGI can
have their products and product information included on this CD for a
nominal fee. Many other co-marketing opportunities are promoted to
developers via the developer program.
At SGI we realize our relationship with our developers is one of the
company's most cherished and valued assets.
For more information on SGI's Developer Programs, please contact:
SGI Developer Response Center (DRC)
800-770-3033 or 415-933-3303
415-933-4540 fax
e-mail: devprogram@sgi.com
MIPS ABI News and Notes
NEW PRODUCTS PORTED TO MIPS ABI:
Applix, CrossWind, Elan, Facet Term, and Recital
The MIPS ABI group works hard to both recruit and
assist developers in their porting efforts to the MIPS ABI. We currently
have over 35 companies and over 80 products running on the MIPS ABI
platforms. New products available for the MIPS ABI include the following
products: Synchronize from CrossWind, License Manager from Elan, Facet Term
from Structured Software Solutions, and Recital from Recital Corporation.
"Process Port" is a term used within the MIPS ABI when developers use ABI
code to simplify their porting process, yet porting requires specific links
to finish the port, thereby not using 100% ABI-compliant code. Recent MIPS
ABI "Process Ports" include the following products: Progress from Progress
Software, and Visual Works from ParcPlace (distributed by George Heeg and
Company).
In August, all three MIPS ABI committee chairs rotated officers. Heinz
Diehl (SNI) replaced John Mashey, (SGI) as the MIPS ABI Group President
and Chairman of the Board. Steve Stone (Tandem) stepped in as the new
Technical Director, replacing David VomLehn (also of Tandem). And, Kevin
Payne (NEC), who is the group's CFO, replaced David Lee (SGI) as Marketing
Director.
The first edition of the MIPS ABI Applications Directory has recently been
published. This directory contains listings for over 35 developers and more
than 80 products, and is distributed to developers, MIPS ABI member company
field sales forces, and members of the MIPS ABI community. The directory is
scheduled to be published twice per year. For a printed copy of the MIPS
ABI Applications Directory, please send an electronic request to
marketing@mipsabi.org,
or see the online version
on our Web site.
The MIPS ABI Group has revised and redesigned our marketing material.
Revised items include a Program Overview brochure, Marketing and ISV White
Paper, Frequently Asked Questions White Paper, Technical Support Policy,
and the Conformance Guide 1.2.
Last month, the marketing representatives in the MIPS ABI group could be
found recruiting ISVs on the show floor at UNIX Expo in New York City.
During the show, the group members handed out over 400 mousepads, which
have the MIPS ABI Web address and the marketing contact information printed
on them.
The MIPS ABI Australia chapter also caught the public eye last month by
having a presence at the Australian UNIX User's Group (AUUG) exhibition in
Sydney, Australia. Pyramid and Silicon Graphics represented the MIPS ABI
Group distributing ACCESS newsletter from booths displaying large MIPS ABI
posters. With over 4,700 delegates and visitors, this was one of the
biggest UNIX, Open-Systems and World Wide Web exhibitions in Australia. The
AUUG exhibition is aimed primarily at computing professionals and
decision-makers which made it an ideal forum to promote the MIPS ABI
concept. For more information on the MIPS ABI Australian Chapter, send an
electronic request to
marketing@mipsabi.org.
For more information on any of these news items, please contact
marketing@mipsabi.org,
or see our Web site
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