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New Orleans, LA — Hewlett-Packard Company announced Linux support for its recently introduced HP VISUALIZE fx5 and fx10 graphics accelerators. HP is demonstrating the new capabilities at SIGGRAPH 2000, which is being held July 24 through July 28.

The HP VISUALIZE fx5 and fx10 graphics accelerators, already available in versions for Windows NT-based HP VISUALIZE Personal Workstations or UNIX system-based HP VISUALIZE workstations, are designed to provide breakthrough performance and to offer the highest visual realism at interactive speeds. Only HP provides both the graphics driver and proven X server, thereby offering single-point support for the total Linux solution.

“The HP VISUALIZE fx graphics workstation is an amazing performer on Linux,” said Ed Leonard, head of technology for DreamWorks Animation. “The HP engineering team has been a tremendous resource to us as we build our Linux pipeline.”

“Not only has HP provided 175 of its Linux-based 3-D workstations for our new pipeline, it’s also supplied our Linux rendering servers and SAN storage,” said Christopher Cain, chief executive officer for Moon Crescent Productions. “The fact that HP also is making content creation easier for customers makes its awesome technology that much more compelling.”

Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) also are applauding the availability of world-class graphics for their innovative software applications.

“Alias|Wavefront’s Maya customers are demanding leading-edge performance and functionality on a Linux platform foundation,” said Bob Bennett, general manager of Alias|Wavefront’s Entertainment Business Unit. “HP’s Linux workstations will provide Maya users a rock-solid, no-compromise system platform to fill those needs.”

“Responding to customer demand, Side Effects Software last year ported its award-winning Houdini 3-D animation software to the Linux platform,” said Paul Salvini, chief technology officer for Side Effects Software. “When we first ported, we worked with several workstation providers, none with suitable 3-D Linux-based workstations available. By rapidly leveraging its existing X and OpenGL technologies, HP was the first to market with a fast and stable Linux workstation. This solution is now being used in production at a number of our customer sites around the world.”

“As a leading manufacturer in visual-effects software, Nothing Real closely follows its user base, and there is one consistent message being voiced: The industry considers Linux the next-generation platform of choice,” said Jean-Luc Bouchard, director of marketing at Nothing Real. “Responding to this growing demand, Nothing Real’s Shake was the first professional visual-effects software to be ported to the Linux operating system. Working with HP on this Linux development was a breath of fresh air. HP’s leading-edge technology and level of dedication to the Linux operating system allowed us to greatly accelerate our Linux plans.”

Hewlett-Packard also announced next-generation HP VISUALIZE P-Class Personal Workstations with superior price/performance value for designers, creative artists, engineers, scientists and others who require high performance at an affordable price. The company also announced enhanced HP VISUALIZE X-Class Personal Workstations offering increased memory capacity, extreme graphics performance and industry-leading processing power. These systems are suited to the needs of professional engineers, designers and artists who perform simulations, virtual prototyping and other high-end visualization tasks requiring large memory capacity and bandwidth.

“HP workstations offer superior capabilities for technical customers and demonstrate a significant price/performance advantage,” said Mike Abrams, associate editor of Computer Aided Design Report.

The HP VISUALIZE P-Class Personal Workstation recently earned the highest performance ratings available from both Pro/E: The Magazine and Solid Solutions magazine. Single or dual Intel Pentium III 733MHz, 800MHz or 866MHz processors provide superior computing performance to the HP VISUALIZE P733, P800 and P866 Personal Workstations for Windows NT and Windows 2000 Professional. In addition, HP VISUALIZE P-Class Personal Workstations include the following features:

∑ advanced transfer cache increases power and efficiency for demanding applications;

∑ HP VISUALIZE memory architecture provides up to a 20 percent performance gain over RDRAM-based systems. The P-Class uses affordable 133MHz SDRAM for the most cost-effective large-memory implementations;

∑ HP VISUALIZE fx5 and fx10 graphics accelerators (providing three and six PA-RISC(1) geometry engines, respectively) deliver superior application performance for the largest, most complex visualization tasks; and

∑ ELSA Synergy II or ELSA Gloria II (with HP VISUALIZE technology) provide excellent 2-D and 3-D graphics performance at entry-level and midrange price points, respectively.

The enhanced HP VISUALIZE X-Class Personal Workstation offers exceptional mass storage expandability of up to 54GB internal disk space. These systems can be equipped with a single or dual Intel Pentium III 800MHz or 866MHz processor and feature HP VISUALIZE memory architecture. HP VISUALIZE fx5 and fx10 graphics accelerators enable professional graphics capabilities and ELSA Synergy II and Gloria II with HP VISUALIZE technology are suitable for entry-level and midrange graphics requirements.

“We are on target to offer our customers better graphics and system performance at better values,” said Jim Zafarana, worldwide marketing manager for HP’s Technical Computing Division. “The next-generation HP VISUALIZE P-Class and enhanced HP VISUALIZE X-Class Personal Workstations deliver on our promise to provide powerful systems to solve complex problems more effectively.”

Hewlett-Packard Company also announced the leadership graphics program, which combines HP’s vast graphics expertise with available graphics products to provide customers with the industry’s most expansive, fast and flexible set of graphics solutions. The program has been developed in response to rapid technology advancements from multiple vendors and unrelenting, wide-ranging performance requirements.

The leadership graphics program is designed to deliver a graphics product portfolio that addresses a wide range of user requirements in key industries/applications, including Mechanical Computer Aided Design (MCAD), Digital Content Creation (DCC), Oil and Gas, Geographical Information Systems (GIS), and Finance. This program enables HP users access to the latest and most appropriate graphics technology available while still employing HP’s graphics technology in strategic product segments. The program also ensures robust and reliable solutions across the Windows, UNIX and Linux operating systems.

“HP’s leadership graphics program enables users to approach a single source for the best graphics solutions available. Given HP’s wealth of graphics expertise, it is in the unique position of being able to leverage this expertise into industry-available graphics solutions,” said Jon Peddie, founder and president of Jon Peddie Associates, a leading market-research firm specializing in graphics and multimedia.

The leadership graphics program comprises three product categories:

∑ Elite graphics products – Designed for mission-critical technology applications, providing balanced technology with leadership performance. These solutions are ISV-certified, integrated and shipped from HP and include full HP support and warranty.

∑ Emerging graphics products – Enable the latest graphics products to be available to HP users as soon as they are introduced by the manufacturer. These products come with full HP support and warranty.

∑ Distinctive graphics products – Designed for specialized applications and will be provided as HP users and the market demand.

“The leadership graphics program demonstrates HP’s focus on customer satisfaction through the quality, functionality and timely introduction of the latest graphics technology,” said Osman Kent, chief executive officer of 3Dlabs. “We have the broadest range of professional graphics solutions in the industry, and we welcome this opportunity to continue working closely with HP to meet the graphics needs of even more of its end users.”

“Our entry-level and midrange products complement current products offered by HP,” said Dan Vivoli, senior vice president of marketing at nVIDIA. “By offering options to customers, HP is ensuring greater levels of satisfaction for a broad spectrum of specialized demands.”

In addition to supplying the broadest selection of graphics in the industry, HP provides added value with its extensive graphics expertise. For 20 years and seven generations of product development, HP has delivered superior graphics solutions to the marketplace. When added together, the HP graphics lab engineers have more than one millennium of graphics-development experience and have developed many technologies that are used industrywide. HP develops graphics across three operating systems (UNIX, Windows and Linux) and has strategic alliances with leading graphics vendors to provide HP users with access to the broadest choice of graphics solutions available.

“HP has become a graphics powerhouse, and the leadership graphics program demonstrates not only our wealth of graphics experience, but also our sense of urgency in getting the best tools in the hands of our customers as quickly as possible,” said Jim Zafarana, marketing manager for HP’s Technical Computing Division.

Hewlett-Packard Company – a leading global provider of computing and imaging solutions and services – is focused on making technology and its benefits accessible to individuals and businesses through simple appliances, useful e-services and an Internet infrastructure that’s always on.

HP has 86,000 employees worldwide and had total revenue from continuing operations of $42.4 billion in its 1999 fiscal year. Information about HP and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com .

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