Intel verrast vele mensen blij op deze woendsdagmiddag: zij geven de blueprint van de nieuwe Itanium vrij.
The blueprints, which contain technical information on the chip's subsystems, cache structure and other microarchitecture details, typically aren't publicly disclosed prior to the commercial launch of a chip. Hardware makers and software developers usually have copies but must sign nondisclosure agreements.[break]Nou, aardig van ze. Intel doet dit om te bereiken dat er meer software geschreven wordt voor de Itanium (vooral vanuit de open-source hoek):[/break]Intel, however, is shifting its policy to accommodate the changes in the industry wrought by the rise of Linux and the open-source community, said Ron Curry, director of IA-64 marketing. Open-source programming is a communal affair: Developers contribute ideas on a volunteer basis and don't necessarily work at companies covered by the nondisclosure agreements. To ensure that a broad array of applications will be ready and debugged for Itanium's launch in the second half, therefore, Intel is releasing the documents now. In addition, the company is connecting Itanium-based servers to the Web so programmers can test-drive their software.
Het nieuwsbericht is hier te vinden, de blueprints kun je hier naar beneden halen.