Multiprocessing: Functions and Features
SMP Applications
SMP applications are common in server and back office environments. All professional web servers, SQL servers or groupware servers are multithreaded and therefore profit from SMP systems.
There is a different situation with workstation and desktop applications. Programming of SMP-capable software is complex, error-prone and for these reasons also expensive. Software which supports multiprocessing can often be found in professional environments. Popular programs can be found in the areas of digital content creation, CAD, and simulations, as well as scientific applications which use the method of finite elements.
The following table lists some professional MP-capable desktop applications:
| Software | Category | Manufacturer |
|---|---|---|
| MoviePack | Video editing | AIST |
| Maya | Video editing, game development, 3D animation | Alias/Wavefront |
| Photoshop 6.0 | Image editing | Adobe |
| Premiere 6.0 | Video editing | Adobe |
| 3D Studio MAX 4 | 3D modelling, rendering, animation | Discreet |
| Parallel Performance for ANSYS | Add-on for several ANSYS products | ANSYS |
| Windows Media Encoder 7 | Sound and video conversion | Microsoft |
| LightWorks 5.6 | 3D rendering | Lightwork |
| Parasolid 12.1 | 3D modeling | UGS |
| Mental Ray 2.1 | Raytracing and rendering | Mental Images |
| VMware 2.0.3 | Tool for operating systems which creates virtual PCs on a host system. | VMware |
There are also games which support multiprocessing. The amount of titles, however, is very limited:
| Software | Manufacturer |
|---|---|
| Quake III Arena | id Software |
| Falcon 4.0 | Microprose |
| Starsiege | Dynamix |
Additionally, all 3D games based on the Quak III engine support SMP.
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