SCIENCE

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- SGI (NYSE:SGI) will hold its premier technical event, the SGI(R) Global Developer Conference, May 12-14, 2003. This year's conference, titled "The Best of Both Worlds," will attract SGI(R) IRIX(R) and 64-bit Linux(R) OS developers from around the world. Aiming to speed the evolution of Linux applications both for SGI(R) Altix(TM) 3000 systems and for the open-source community at large, the conference will offer numerous technical sessions to enable the successful creation of amazing applications on 64-bit Linux as well as IRIX OS-based systems. The conference, taking place in San Jose, Calif., will also provide hands-on resources that enable developers to port, optimize and tune their products on the SGI(R) platforms. "The 2003 SGI Global Developer Conference is the main event for our entire community of IRIX and Linux developers to come together, learn more about SGI and network with their peers," said Anneke Dempsey, senior director of global alliances, SGI. "Developers are key to SGI's success, and our focus is to make sure that every developer has precisely what he or she needs to create the best possible solutions for SGI customers. We welcome them to this pivotal event for the IRIX and Linux developer community." Conference speakers include Bob Bishop, SGI chairman and CEO; Dr. Eng Lim Goh, SGI senior vice president and CTO; Jan Silverman, senior vice president, Industry Solutions and Services, SGI; Bill LaRosa, senior vice president ICON, SGI; and Jim Taft, president of Sienna Software, Inc., and currently a consultant at NASA Ames Research Center, where he cofounded the Terascale Applications Group and manages the Advanced Computing Lab project. Jon "maddog" Hall, president and executive director, Linux International, will address Extreme Linux. Extreme Linux enthusiasts address a range of specialized areas from embedded devices to supercomputing-class installations. Conference attendees will gain valuable experience by working with SGI executives and engineers, meeting with customers, and collaborating with colleagues in highly technical discussions The Best of Both Worlds session topics will include the differences between and similarities of IRIX and Linux, optimization and coding techniques on IRIX and Linux, and interoperability between IRIX and Linux. Conference topics will also cover enabling technologies that enhance productivity, performance and visualization, including OpenGL Performer(TM), OpenGL Vizserver(TM), CXFS(TM) file-sharing software, global shared memory and NUMAflex(TM) technology. For example, in-depth technical discussions will address designing high- performance computing applications to take advantage of global shared memory. This provides many major benefits including: -- Greater ease in running large memory problems -- Improved message-passing communication latency and bandwidth -- Flexible programming models that allow quick prototyping of parallel codes in the typical "changing algorithm" research environment Global shared-memory training sessions include: -- Introduction to New Techniques for Global Shared Memory (May 13, 10-11 a.m.); -- MPI on IRIX and Altix (May 13, 2:30-3:30 p.m.) -- Scalability of Parallel Shared Memory (May 13, 4-5 p.m.) Hands-on Experience The Engineering Zones at the 2003 Global Developer Conference will offer hands-on experience with the latest architectures based on MIPS(R) processors and IRIX operating systems and on Linux operating systems and Intel(R) Itanium(R) 2 processors, providing developers the unique opportunity to experience the latest in system innovations. Labs where developers can use the latest products from SGI and meet the engineers behind the technology will provide the opportunity for hands-on experience with the newest SGI hardware. Attendees will also be able to meet one-on-one with engineers from specific engineering teams; compile, debug and tune sample software; attend dedicated sessions about and demonstrations of SGI hardware, software, and development tools; and learn how to create applications for SGI(R) Reality Center(R). SGI will focus on its core competencies with two separate Engineering Zones: -- The Server/Storage/Desktop Engineering Zone will feature SGI IRIX and Linux OS-based servers, desktop products and storage solutions. During the conference, developers can attend interactive demonstrations, Birds-of-a-Feather sessions or technical sessions on varied subjects. -- The Visualization Engineering Zone will show software developers how to put their applications on the big screen. In association with BARCO, a full-scale, rear-projected SGI Reality Center visualization facility will be available for training. This Engineering Zone will begin by demonstrating how to take an application from start to finish in Reality Center. We will also focus on providing tips for enhancing applications to take full advantage of a Reality Center facility. Attendees of the 2003 SGI Global Developer Conference are also invited to join cosponsors SGI and Intel for "Innovation Night" on May 13 at 6 p.m. at the San Jose Tech Museum, a place where imagination and technology are combined to revive the spirit of discovery and curiosity. The entire 3,600- square-foot exhibit area will be exclusively available during the evening for discussions, dining, entertainment, experimentation and examination.