Computer systems have fully entered the age of multi-core processing. This
trend was examined in a white paper entitled, "Preparing for the Revolution,
Maximizing Dual-Core Technology." While much of the focus had been on
dual-core processors, Intel has now delivered quad-core processors and AMD
has announced quad-core availability in 2007. Software developers who are
just taking advantage of multiple processors also need to be looking ahead
since even larger multi-core platforms will reach the market soon. This new
technology puts additional pressures on complex applications. In essence, the
push beyond dual-cores has made the choice of development tools a key factor
for successful projects.
When writing multi-core software, there are two important issues facing
software developers. The first and most familiar is correctness of the
program, i.e., does the program ... (more)