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Macworld: News: REALbasic to be Mac Intel-friendly

REAL Software CEO and president Geoff Perlman explained that REALbasic itself is cross-platform by design, which helps REALbasic developers to make the transition. ‘Most applications will require nothing but a simple re-compile, with no code changes at all,’ said Perlman in a statement.

(Via MacWorld.)

This really isn’t a big surprise, seeing as RB can already compile Windows and Linux apps for x86. I do wonder if RealSoftware had any heads-up about the PPC->x86 transition, and whether this has anything to do with the delay of RealBasic 2005 (which was supposed to be released by the end of May). I have a new project in mind for RB, but I’ve been waiting for the imminent release of the new version before starting.

Apple to Use Intel Microprocessors Beginning in 2006:

Intel plans to provide industry leading development tools support for Apple later this year, including the Intel C/C++ Compiler for Apple, Intel Fortran Compiler for Apple, Intel Math Kernel Libraries for Apple and Intel Integrated Performance Primitives for Apple.

SWEET. Now all my OS X Fortran apps can be converted!

Universal Binary Programming Guidelines:

Rosetta is designed to translate currently shipping applications that run on a PowerPC with a G3 processor and that are built for Mac OS X. Rosetta does not run the following:

• Applications built for Mac OS 8 or 9
• Code written specifically for AltiVec
• Code that inserts preferences in the System Preferences pane
• Applications that require a G4 or G5 processor
• Applications that depend on one or more kernel extensions
• Kernel extensions
• Bundled Java applications

(Via Macintouch.)

I suppose this isn’t surprising, but not emulating Altivec code puts a bit of a damper on things. Running slow is one thing — not running at all is entirely another. On the other hand, what major apps exist that are not either made by Apple or one of the big 3rd parties that will definitely transition their code (or have existing Windows versions that contain vectorized equivalents for x86 processors)? I can’t think of any offhand, but I might be missing something.

It was all true.

My opinion: this was a good idea.

Macworld: News: Intel’s Chandrasekher talks Apple:

“IDGNS: The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Intel has been trying to get Apple to use its processors. Has Intel been talking with Apple? Chandrasekher: We always talk to Apple. Apple is a design win that we’ve coveted for 20 years and we continue to covet them as a design win. We will never give up on Apple. IDGNS: What would you be willing to do in order to win Apple’s business? Chandrasekher: Well, nothing unnatural that we wouldn’t do for other design wins. It’s got to make sense from a business standpoint. We would do what makes economic sense. If we can do that and still get the design win, we’d do it.”

Also discussed is Intel’s apparent shutout in console CPU wins:

We are not averse to getting a design win in the console space. What we are averse to is getting a design win at an unprofitable price point. If IBM wants to sell the Power PC processor below their cost, they can have that business. We had an opportunity to go bid on it. We did bid on it, but we didn’t think it was worth getting that business if it was going to be unprofitable for us, so we backed away. I don’t think it hurts us.

And since component providers typically aren’t huge winners in the console market, you have to wonder if this will be a big payoff for IBM. On the other hand:

Out of three players, two weren’t ever on IA [Intel architecture] and one was on IA and has moved. So, big deal. If you look at the console business overall it’s predominantly a replacement market, not a growing market. And if you look at where the excitement is in terms of gaming, it’s in online gaming. If you look at online gaming, where is most of the online gaming happening? It’s happening on the PC.

Not for long. The last generation dipped its toes in the water of online gaming, and XBox Live demonstrated what it could be. This gen of consoles will dive into the online pool once and for all, and the sheer numbers will overwhelm PC-based online gaming.