Metrowerks to Support MIPS16 Architecture; Metrowerks and MIPS Technologies Sign Development Agreement
AUSTIN, Texas — September 30, 1997 — Metrowerks Inc. (NASDAQ:MTWKF)(TSE/ME:MWK) announced this week at the Embedded Systems Conference West in San Jose that CodeWarrior for MIPS Embedded Systems will incorporate support for the MIPS16 compressed RISC instruction.
Metrowerks will include full MIPS16 support in its code generation and debugging tools as part of the CodeWarrior for MIPS Embedded Systems toolkit. The support for MIPS16 will be rolled into the MIPS32 compiler technology, which will allow MIPS semiconductor partners to benefit from both MIPS32 and MIPS16 code generation from within the same compiler. CodeWarrior support for MIPS16 will be available in the second quarter of calendar 1998.
CodeWarrior support for MIPS16 compressed RISC instruction set is a direct result of Metrowerks' strategy to offer CodeWarrior embedded development tools for the RTOS/Windows CE market, proprietary OS market, and the embedded Java technology market.
"Adding support for MIPS16 to our standard CodeWarrior for MIPS toolkits is a huge win for our embedded customers," said Greg Galanos, president and chief technology officer, Metrowerks.
"The support of MIPS16 should see a significant reduction in code size for MIPS16-enabled processors, which translates into a smaller memory footprint, allowing the MIPS32 architecture to be much more competitive in the embedded systems space where memory is at a premium."
"The Metrowerks CodeWarrior support for MIPS16 will add a great deal of flexibility to customers' product development efforts," said Bill Jackson, business development manager for the embedded market in the MIPS Group of Silicon Graphics.
"We're very pleased that soon developers will be able to choose between generating MIPS32 code or MIPS16 compressed RISC code, from within the same set of CodeWarrior software design tools."
About MIPS Silicon Graphics MIPS Group, designs, develops, and licenses advanced reduced instruction set computing (RISC) microprocessors and compilers. With its Open RISC business strategy, the MIPS Group collaborates with leading merchant semiconductor companies to create the greatest breadth of powerful RISC processor offerings in the world. Semiconductor licensees include Integrated Device Technology (IDT), LSI Logic, NEC, NKK, Philips Semiconductors, Quantum Effect Design (QED), and Toshiba.
Silicon Graphics, Inc. is a leading supplier of high- performance interactive computing systems. The company offers the broadest range of products in the industry — from low-end desktop workstations to servers and high-end Cray(R) supercomputers. Silicon Graphics also markets MIPS microprocessor designs, Alias(Wavefront(TM) entertainment and design software and other software products.
The company's key markets include manufacturing, government, science and industries, telecommunications and entertainment sectors. Silicon Graphics and its subsidiaries have offices throughout the world and headquarters in Mountain View, Calif.
About Metrowerks Embedded Systems Products CodeWarrior solutions for the embedded systems market start with the CodeWarrior Integrated Development Environment, or "IDE," a unified environment available for both desktop and embedded application development. The CodeWarrior IDE contains a complete set of tools including class browsers, debuggers, editors, and a state-of-the-art project manager which obsoletes "make" files.
CodeWarrior embedded tools all feature the CodeWarrior two-machine source-level debugger which plugs seamlessly into the CodeWarrior IDE and communicates with the new MetroTRK (Target Resident Kernel). MetroTRK, developed by Metrowerks and available in source to Metrowerks' licensees, is a software debug monitor for use with CodeWarrior source-level debuggers. MetroTRK is suitable for use as a board-level software debugger, or, in its extended form, as an application-level debugger.
CodeWarrior highly optimizing compilers, linkers and assemblers are available for the 68K, PowerPC, x86 and MIPS families of microprocessors for C, C++, and Java. Metrowerks has already announced that in 1998, it will add support for the NEC VR/V8xx, ARM, and Hitachi SuperH families of microprocessors.
CodeWarrior all-in-one programming tools are the foundation for Metrowerks' entry into the three major embedded markets: the proprietary OS market; the RTOS/Windows CE market; and the embedded Java technology market.
With over 100 software engineers, Metrowerks invests 35% of the company's revenues in CodeWarrior research and development. Metrowerks has the resources to create state-of-the-art embedded tools.
With the CodeWarrior IDE already used by over 100,000 registered desktop users in 75 countries, Metrowerks' CodeWarrior IDE development costs can be amortized over a very large number of users. This competitive advantage enables Metrowerks to sell CodeWarrior embedded tools at the ground-breaking price of under $ 1,000 per seat.
Note to Editors: Metrowerks, the Metrowerks logo and CodeWarrior are registered trademarks, and MetroTRK is a trademark of Metrowerks Inc. MIPS is a registered trademark, and MIPS16 is a trademark of MIPS Technologies, Inc., a division of Silicon Graphics, Inc. Silicon Graphics is a registered trademark of Silicon Graphics, Inc. Cray is a registered trademark of Cray Research, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Silicon Graphics, Inc. Alias is a registered trademark, and Alias/Wavefront is a trademark of, Alias Wavefront, a division of Silicon Graphics Limited. All other company and product names may be registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective companies/holders, and are hereby recognized.
Statements in this press release are forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including successful and timely development of the product and customer acceptance of the product.
CONTACT:
Metrowerks Inc.
Gordy Davies, 512/873-4797
[email protected]
or
Silicon Graphics, MIPS Group
Constance Sweeney, 415/933-3302
[email protected]