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Green Hills First To Offer C/C++ Optimizing Compiler For New

MIPS64(TM) Cores

SAN JOSE, Calif.----Sept. 26, 2000--Green Hills Software today announced the availability of the MULTI 2000 Integrated Development Environment and the industry's first optimizing C/C++ compilers for MIPS Technologies' (Nasdaq:MIPS, MIPSB - ) MIPS64 architecture and 5Kc(TM) and 20Kc(TM) 64-bit cores.

The MULTI IDE, together with Green Hills' compilers, greatly simplify the development of sophisticated programs for embedded systems based on MIPS64 processors. MULTI also includes a MIPS64 instruction set simulator, which makes it possible to develop and test MIPS64 code prior to the customer receiving test chips. Green Hills will demonstrate the new simulator at ESC.

``The MIPS64 architecture sets a new standard for high-performance embedded computing in digital electronics products that are on the cutting-edge of innovation,'' said John Carbone, vice president of marketing at Green Hills. ``Our optimizing compilers make it easy for developers of sophisticated embedded applications to develop, fast, compact code that takes full advantage of the high performance features of the 5Kc core, and the superscalar, high-speed floating point capabilities of the 20Kc core, the R20K processor, and other MIPS64 processors.''

``Efficient development tools and compilers are the key to maximizing programmer productivity and reaping the full performance benefits of the MIPS64 architecture,'' said Brian Knowles, vice president of marketing for MIPS Technologies Inc. ``We're happy to have Green Hills Software on board with their new tools for the powerful MIPS64 architecture.''

The MIPS64 20Kc is the highest performance licensable 64-bit RISC processor core available, optimized for digital entertainment and networking applications. Featuring an integrated SIMD floating point unit with MIPS-3D extensions, the dual-issue, superscalar processor can execute two integer, or one integer and one floating point instruction every clock cycle. This gives it a peak performance of 1500 MIPS and 3.0 GFLOPS at 750 MHz. The 20Kc features a seven-stage pipeline with instruction prefetch and dynamic branch prediction, an integrated MMU, and 32 kbytes each of 4-way set-associative instruction and data cache. The core consumes just 2.6 mW/MHz when fabricated in a 0.15-micron CMOS process.

The MIPS64 5Kc is a high-performance, synthesizeable 64-bit RISC processor core optimized for low-power, battery-operated, system-on-a-chip and ASIC applications. Featuring a peak clock frequency of 310 MHz (0.13 micron process), the 5Kc core consumes just 0.5 mW/MHz. The 5Kc features a six-stage pipeline with branch control and single-cycle execution for most instructions, a co-processor interface, a 64-entry MMU, and up to 64 kbytes each of 4-way set-associative cache.

The MULTI 2000 IDE, together with Green Hills' family of optimizing C, C++, EC++, and Ada95 compilers, automates all aspects of embedded software development for MIPS64 processors, including the 5Kc and 20Kc architectures. Available for Windows 95/98, Windows NT, and Unix host platforms, the MULTI IDE features a window-oriented editor, source-level debugger, graphical program builder, run-time error checker, version control system, performance profiler, optimizing profiler (CodeBalance(TM)), and real-time RTOS EventAnalyzer. MULTI also features an instruction set simulator (SimMIPS) that allows programmers to develop and test MIPS64 code on a PC or workstation without the need for the target hardware.

The heart of the MULTI environment is a source-level debugger that supports process- and system-level debug. The debugger provides a separate window for each process, supports mixed assembly and high-level language formats, includes a language-sensitive expression evaluator, and provides special support for C++ (such as a Class Browser, object display and template debug capability). The MULTI 2000 debugger is fully RTOS aware, which enables designers to debug and tune their applications at a task level. With the MULTI debugger, designers working with popular RTOSs can start and stop threads, and monitor OS resources like buffers, queues, and semaphores.

MULTI 2000's EventAnalyzer builds on the debugger's real-time capabilities, graphically displaying system and application events on an expandable timeline in real time. Operating like a high-level logic analyzer, the EventAnalyzer GUI displays all context switches, RTOS API calls, and interrupts in a time-relative manner using intuitive icons. The EventAnalyzer also provides versatile navigation capabilities that allow programmers to zoom in and out of the timeline to obtain greater detail about particular event sequences.

The MULTI 2000 IDE features the industry's most advanced MIPS C/C++ optimizing compiler. The scaleable C/C++ compiler lets programmers use switch options to select any subset of C++ they want, from bare bones C, to full-blown ANSI/ISO C++. The compiler also supports Embedded C++ (EC++), a dialect of C++ optimized for resource-constrained embedded applications that achieves the efficiency of C while preserving many of the best object-oriented features of C++.

The MULTI IDE for MIPS64 cores, including a C/C++ compiler, assembler, linker, and instruction set simulator, costs $5900 (single-seat developer's license) for the Windows version and $8900 for the Unix version.

More on Green Hills Software Inc.

Incorporated in 1982, Green Hills Software Inc., is a leading supplier of royalty-free real-time operating systems and software development tools for 32- and 64-bit embedded systems. Green Hills' royalty-free ThreadX® and INTEGRITY(TM) real-time operating systems, fully integrated with its market leading compilers and MULTI® integrated development environment, provide a total development and run-time solution that addresses both deeply embedded and high-reliability applications. Green Hills Software is headquartered in Santa Barbara, Calif., with international headquarters in the United Kingdom. For more information on Green Hills Software products, please call 805/965-6044 or email inquiries to sales@ghs.com. http://www.ghs.com.

Green Hills Software, and MULTI are registered trademarks and INTEGRITY is a trademark of Green Hills Software Inc. Other trademarks are trademarks (registered or otherwise) of the respective trademark owners.

     Green Hills Software
     Tamara Kleidermacher, 805/965-6044
     or
     Davis-Marrin Communications
     Will Curtis, 858/573-0736