From PRNEWSWIRE:
Silicon Graphics and Microsoft Form Strategic Alliance to Define the Future of Graphics
Collaboration Enhances Advanced Visual Computing and Applications on Windows
and Brings Unique Value to Silicon Graphics' Future Windows-Based Products
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Dec. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Silicon Graphics Inc.
(NYSE: SGI) and Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) today announced a strategic
alliance aimed at increasing graphics capabilities for a wide variety of
consumer, business and professional customers. Drawing upon each company's
industry-leading expertise, this initiative will significantly advance
graphics technology and create a common, extensible architecture that will
bring advanced and powerful graphics to the entire computer market. The
companies have agreed to jointly define, develop and deliver these new
graphics technologies as part of a project code-named "Fahrenheit."
The Fahrenheit project will create a suite of application programming
interfaces (APIs) for the Microsoft(R) DirectX(R) multimedia architecture on
the Windows(R) operating system and the Silicon Graphics(R) UNIX-based
platform. An API is a common interface with which developers can leverage the
full acceleration capabilities of a computer. Fahrenheit will incorporate
Microsoft Direct3D(R) and DirectDraw(R) APIs with Silicon Graphics
complementary technologies such as OpenGL(R), OpenGL Scene Graph(TM) and
OpenGL Optimizer(TM). The Fahrenheit architecture will be the basis for
innovative third-party graphics and visualization applications including
Internet, games, business, digital content creation, CAD/CAM, medical and
scientific applications.
"Silicon Graphics and Microsoft have been working together since 1991 to
develop OpenGL for Windows NT," said Dr. Jon Peddie, president of Jon Peddie
Associates and one of the industry's leading 3-D graphics analysts. "The
Fahrenheit project inaugurates the next phase of that long-standing
relationship. Fahrenheit paves the way for a truly scalable computer graphics
software framework that will satisfy ISVs all the way from low-level APIs to
full-blown scene graphics with large model visualization and heavy-duty
'visualization simplification' functions. This is something the industry has
wanted and needed for a long time."
This alliance is part of an expanding relationship between Silicon
Graphics and Microsoft that enhances Silicon Graphics' development of
high-value Windows-based visual systems. Through this agreement, Silicon
Graphics will apply its core competencies to define the Fahrenheit framework
upon which Silicon Graphics will continue to develop differentiated graphics
systems.
During the development of the Fahrenheit project, Microsoft and Silicon
Graphics have also agreed to work together in support of the development of
Windows-based graphics applications for professionals through the OpenGL APIs
and the development of Windows-based graphics applications for consumers
through the Direct3D API.
"Today, Silicon Graphics and Microsoft are defining a clear path for
developers and enabling both of us to expand the market for graphics," said Ed
McCracken, chairman and chief executive officer of Silicon Graphics. "This
also marks Silicon Graphics' first step toward implementing its strategy to
participate in the larger market for graphically oriented Windows NT(R)-based
systems."
"We're delighted to be working with Silicon Graphics to enhance and drive
innovation on DirectX and Windows as a key platform for 3-D graphics and
visualization," said Paul Maritz, group vice president of the platforms and
applications group at Microsoft. "The industry's graphics leaders are
collaborating on a standard that will expand the market for developers for
Windows while benefiting the entire market."
Fahrenheit: Common Architecture for Innovation
The Fahrenheit project will produce the following three components:
* Fahrenheit low-level API will become the primary graphics API for both
consumer and professional applications on Windows. The Fahrenheit low-level
API will evolve from Direct3D, DirectDraw and OpenGL while providing full
backward compatibility with applications and hardware device drivers written
for Microsoft Direct3D and functional compatibility with Silicon Graphics'
OpenGL technologies.
* Fahrenheit Scene Graph API will provide a higher level of programming
abstraction for developers creating consumer and professional applications on
both Windows and Silicon Graphics IRIX operating systems. This API will
evolve from Silicon Graphics' current Scene Graph API. The Fahrenheit Scene
Graph API provides high-level data structures and algorithms that increase
overall graphics performance and assist the development of sophisticated
graphics-rich applications.
* Fahrenheit Large Model Visualization Extensions will be based on the
Silicon Graphics OpenGL Optimizer API and complementary DirectModel API from
Hewlett-Packard Co. and Microsoft. They will operate in conjunction with the
Scene Graph API. The large model visualization extensions add functionality
that will allow the interactive manipulation of large 3-D models such as an
entire automobile. The Large Model Visualization API adds functionality such
as multiresolution simplification to the Scene Graph API so developers can
easily write applications that will interact with extremely large visual
databases. This technology will also be designed to enhance legacy
applications with new large model visualization capabilities.
The agreement to collaborate on the Fahrenheit APIs builds on a growing
cooperation between Microsoft and Silicon Graphics. Most recently, the
companies agreed to collaborate on a new 3-D Graphics Device Driver Kit (DDK)
to support OpenGL on the Windows 9X and Windows NT platforms.
The agreement also builds on the significant graphics expertise of each
company. Silicon Graphics will draw on its extensive knowledge and core
competency in graphics, visualization and imaging, and the overwhelming market
acceptance for OpenGL. Microsoft will draw on the acknowledged graphics
expertise of its DirectX development team and on the world-renowned Microsoft
Research Group, as well as on the leadership of the DirectX APIs and the rich
operating system services afforded by the Windows platform.
The Fahrenheit APIs will be developed in conjunction with software and
hardware development partners. Microsoft and Silicon Graphics are committed
to an open design preview process during which input on the API designs will
be solicited from all interested parties. In particular, Microsoft and
Silicon Graphics will work together with other industry leaders - including
Intel Corp. - to evolve the Fahrenheit APIs. Specifically, Intel will work
with Microsoft and Silicon Graphics on the Fahrenheit low-level API to ensure
maximum support of the Intel Pentium II processor.
Availability
Microsoft and Silicon Graphics engineers will begin development on
Fahrenheit APIs and extensions immediately. They will deliver new APIs, DDKs
and Software Development Kits (SDKs) in phases over the next two and a half
years. Phase One will be the delivery of the Fahrenheit Scene Graph and Large
Model Visualization in the first half of calendar year 1999 for Microsoft
Windows and Silicon Graphics IRIX. Phase Two will be the delivery of the
Fahrenheit low-level API in the first half of calendar year 2000 on Microsoft
Windows only. For the Windows platform, Microsoft will be the direct source
for licensing, certifying and distributing the SDKs and DDKs. For the Silicon
Graphics IRIX platform, Silicon Graphics will be the direct source for
licensing, certifying and distributing the SDKs and DDKs.
For more information on the Fahrenheit APIs, developers should visit
sgi.com or microsoft.com.
Company Information
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, communications and entertainment sectors.
Silicon Graphics and its subsidiaries have offices throughout the world and
headquarters in Mountain View, Calif.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software for
personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services
for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it
easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of
personal computing every day.
NOTE: Microsoft, DirectX, Windows, Direct3D, DirectDraw and Windows NT
are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the
United States and/or other countries. Silicon Graphics, the Silicon Graphics
logo and OpenGL are registered trademarks and IRIX, OpenGL Optimizer and
OpenGL Scene Graph are trademarks of Silicon Graphics, Inc. MIPS is a
registered trademark of MIPS Technologies, Inc. Cray is a registered
trademark of Cray Research Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Silicon Graphics
Inc. Alias/Wavefront is a trademark of Alias/Wavefront, a division of Silicon
Graphics Limited. Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of
their respective owners.
SOURCE Microsoft Corp.
CONTACT: press only, Lisa MacKenzie of MacKenzie Kesselring,
Inc., 503-225-0725, or lisam@mkinc.com, for Microsoft; or Susan
Austin of Silicon Graphics, 650-933-3233, or saustin@corp.sgi.com
Web Site: microsoft.com |
