Linux Developer Community Rallies Around AMD's 64-Bit Computing Strategy

x86-64™ technology web site goes live at www.x86-64.org AMD to release x86-64™ technology simulator to allow development community to test tools and applications

LINUXWORLD, SAN JOSE, CA -- 8/15/2000 -- Leading Linux developers today announced support for AMD's 64-bit computing strategy at the LinuxWorld Conference & Expo. AMD publicly released its 64-bit architecture specification, the x86-64™ Architecture Programmers Overview, last week to enable the industry to begin incorporating x86-64™ technology support into their operating systems, applications, drivers, and development tools. AMD is also distributing its specification to developers on CD-ROM at LinuxWorld.

In addition, AMD is announcing its x86-64™ technology simulator - an application that is designed to give BIOS vendors, tools developers, operating system manufacturers and application providers the ability to test their software code for the x86-64™ architecture prior to the release of AMD's forthcoming 64-bit processors that utilize x86-64™ technology. These processors, codenamed "Hammer," are planned to be announced at the end of 2001. The x86-64™ technology simulator is planned to become available free of charge at www.x86-64.org in September 2000.

Additionally, AMD is announcing the x86-64™ technology web site, which went live today. Launched by AMD and industry partners, the purpose of the site is to help developers incorporate x86-64™ technology support in operating systems, applications, drivers, and development tools while also being the home of x86-64™ technology-related information including the x86-64™ Architecture Programmers Overview and upcoming white paper and simulator.

"AMD engaged the developer community at large to solicit feedback on its specification, and we are now committed to providing developers the support tools for creating x86-64™ code that is designed to move the industry toward 64-bit computing," said Fred Weber, vice president of engineering for the computation products group, AMD.

Linux Developers Support AMD's x86-64™ Technology
"We are excited to be working with AMD to provide AMD's "Hammer" family of processors to the Linux community," said Paul McNamara, VP of Products and Platforms, Red Hat, Inc. "As leaders in the Linux space, our expertise will help AMD provide a solid foundation for this technology."

"AMD's x86-64™ architecture provides the perfect platform for SuSE to pursue its enterprise strategy," said Volker Wiegand, president of SuSE Inc. "Linux for x86-64™ will allow the open source community to develop a wide array of 64-bit software solutions for small, medium and large enterprises. We believe that IT managers are eager to embrace all of the open source advantages that are the foundation of Linux. Enhanced for AMD's 64-bit specifications, Linux becomes a premier operating system environment for hundreds of thousands of IT implementations. SuSE is proud to be championing the effort, within the Linux community, to port Linux to the x86-64™ architecture."

"CodeSourcery is looking forward to helping AMD port the GNU/Linux operating system to the x86-64™ architecture. This architecture is just what we need: 64-bit support for mission-critical applications, with full-speed binary support for all the great x86 GNU/Linux software that's already around. Because x86-64™ is an extension of an existing architecture, it is planned to be much easier to bring up the OS, get good compiler optimization, and support existing applications," said Mark Mitchell, president and chief technical officer, CodeSourcery and current release manager for GCC 3.0. "I'm thrilled to see AMD taking such a proactive attitude towards GNU/Linux. It's fantastic to have a hardware company working closely with the Free Software and Open Source communities in this way."

"Ada Core Technologies considers the AMD x86-64™ specification to be an attractive approach to the extension of the existing x86 technology to the 64-bit world. This is designed to allow a straight-forward adaptation of existing technology that includes, in particular, conventional optimizing compilation systems," said Robert Dewar, president and chief executive officer, Ada Core Technologies. "We definitely plan for the AMD Hammer family of x86-64™ processors to be of interest to our customers looking for high-end computational capabilities."

About AMD's x86-64™ Technology
AMD's straightforward approach to 64-bit computing builds upon the x86 instruction set, one of the industry's most proven and widely supported technologies. AMD x86-64™ technology is designed to support applications that address large amounts of physical and virtual memory, such as high performance servers, database management systems, and CAD tools. The x86-64™ technology seamlessly integrates into the current computing and support environment, and is designed to enable enterprises to deploy high performance 64-bit capable systems that build upon the billions of dollars already invested in 32-bit software.

AMD enhances the current x86 instruction set by introducing two major features: a 64-bit extension called long mode, and register extensions. Long mode consists of two sub-modes: 64-bit mode, and compatibility mode. 64-bit mode supports new 64-bit code through the addition of eight general-purpose registers and widens them all along with the instruction pointer. It also adds eight 128-bit floating point registers. Compatibility mode supports existing 16-bit and 32-bit applications under a 64-bit operating system. In addition to long mode, the architecture also supports a pure x86 legacy mode, which preserves binary compatibility with existing 16-bit and 32-bit applications and operating systems.

AMD has also released a White Paper that provides a technical overview of the x86-64™ architecture in more detail.

Visit AMD on the Web
The x86-64™ Architecture Programmers Overview including the full specification and developer support is available at http://www.amd.com/devconn/index.html

Additional information on AMD's x86-64™ technology, including an upcoming white paper, can be found in AMD's virtual pressroom at http://www.amd.com/news/virtualpress/index.html and at http://www.x86-64.org

Other press releases and information about AMD and its products are available at http://www.amd.com/news/news.html

Cautionary Statement
This document contains forward-looking statements, which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are generally preceded by words such as "plans," "expects," "believes," "anticipates" or "intends." Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements in this document involve risks and uncertainty that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. Forward looking statements in this document include the risks that developers may not support the x86-64™ technology and design tools for the technology in a timely manner or at all; that AMD will not successfully implement the technology in its products on a timely basis; and that AMD may not effectively penetrate the enterprise market. We urge investors to review in detail the risks and uncertainties in the Company's filings with the United States Securities Exchange Commission.