July 29, 2010 at 18:12Intel Software Partner: how to develop software with Intel?
I warn you honestly and right away: this post will be of interest primarily to those who develop a variety of software, and who are interested in testing the product for optimization of work with modern hardware in the very early stages of development. That is, of course, I do not exclude that for general development the text may also be useful, but if not, you were warned :)
There is probably no special need to talk about how quickly the number of cores in modern processors is growing, and how users are pleased when applications use them to the maximum. Well, or how many people play on Intel's integrated graphics solutions. However, many developers continue to act by the methods of the times when the cores in the processors were large and lived solely on their own. Of course, people do this not out of principle. It’s just not always clear - where to start, how to calculate weaknesses in optimization, what exactly needs to be improved for the correct use of a multi-core processor. Indeed, a lot of questions arise, and not only on processors - there is something to work on in the field of 3D graphics, working with video, and to check the functionality of various management software. Finally, a new trend arose:
For those who think about such things, the Intel Software Patner program has been created .
You can register for it completely free, and this process will take five minutes, even if you will carefully consider each item on the questionnaire. Of course, the mere fact of registering with the Intel Software Partner will not make the programs you work on better and faster. But it will open immediately five highly effective tools for evaluating software that help identify the strengths and weaknesses of applications, accelerate optimization and, very importantly, get advice from Intel experts who know more about their products than anyone else. Plus, most of the five representatives are able to evaluate the application and report on it based on the results of only a 30-second study.
The first tool is called Intel Concurrency Checker, and it is designed to measure application performance on multi-core processors. You can immediately download and install it on your computer (there are versions for 32-bit and 64-bit Windows, as well as for Linux), but it’s probably better to first download the most detailed instructions in Russian , watch Checker’s video review , equipped with Russian subtitles, or even download a webinar. Launch, and in thirty seconds you will find out how many cores were actually used by the application and how intensively, whether parallel processes interfered with each other, and if they interfered, to what extent. Concurrency Checker creates a file with a report that should be uploaded to the Intel server (of course, with a guarantee of non-distribution of the received data), because in return you will receive additional information about the results of the evaluation and a list of recommended code optimizations. Intel recommends that you begin testing applications at an early stage of development, and then resort to it after each change to the code.
The second tool is Intel Graphics Checker. Probably, everything has a different attitude to integrated graphics solutions of Intel, but the developer of three-dimensional games cannot neglect the fact that they account for more than 50% of the market. Therefore, the likelihood of launching his brainchild on Intel HD or GMA 3150, to put it mildly, is high. Of course, there are games that do not even work on the integrated graphics, but such a minority. It would probably be useful for everyone else to test the suitability for relatively weak systems - because their owners also want to play, and sales are not too big. The algorithm for working with Intel Graphics Checker is similar: instruction , video, installing the utility itself and - launch! It is important not to forget to choose the genre of the game for additional accuracy of conclusions. It is worth noting that after 30 seconds you will learn relatively little useful, and the most interesting thing is waiting after the report is uploaded to the Intel server, where, along with the additional nuances of the report, you will also receive recommendations for optimizing the code. Having estimated what and how, you can refine the game so that it works at an acceptable speed even on integrated graphics. Thanks for the optimization, owners of budget laptops and guys with large, powerful computers, who also "will get faster," will say.
The third representative of the five, Intel Media Checker, is responsible for "evaluating applications based on the Intel Media SDK for encoding, decoding, or preprocessing formatted WMV, H.264, or MPEG-2 video streams." For the uninitiated, this verbal construction sounds pretty abstract, but in fact, the Intel Media SDK is very popular and used, for example, in the Media Player Classic, installed, it seems, on half of the world's computers. The library helps the player to hardware-decode HD-video using the integrated Intel graphics adapter, and will probably be useful in similar products, as well as in all multimedia applications, sharpened for working with video content. Including, of course, in games. In this case, the principle of using the utility is the same, and even its interface is very similar.The instruction , a training video , thirty seconds to collect data, and now you can see whether the hardware decoding is working or the graphics chip was resting, and instead the processor was working. And again, it makes sense to send a report to Intel to get more detailed information and useful recommendations for code optimization, if necessary.
Intel Manageability Checker is a utility that stands out a bit apart, because it is intended primarily for applications used not at home, but at work. Instruction manualsays it is "an easy-to-use tool that offers an affordable way to record and identify Intel AMT packets, as well as the ability to compare them with Intel AMT use cases." It’s probably worth clarifying that Intel Active Management Technology ( Intel AMT) Is a feature built into Intel platforms that extends the ability to manage enterprise computing systems. It is processor independent, and even the operating system installed on the computer does not play a role. But to use Manageability Checker, you will need a system that supports vPro technology. More precisely, the utility itself will work on any system with a Core 2 Duo processor or older installed, but it will act as a management console, and the tested application should be installed on it. A computer with vPro is needed to verify how AMT packets go in both directions. Both systems must be on the same network. The paragraph about this utility is somewhat heavy, but there is nothing to be done: the development of corporate solutions is a very tough task, but also quite profitable. Especially if the result justifies its expectations. Intel Manageability Checker greatly contributes to this. Just in case, I’ll clarify that the utility also creates a report sent to Intel for more information and useful tips.
Finally, the fifth tool that became available just a few days ago is Intel Power Checker. It is designed to study the power consumption of applications during operation and downtime, as well as their behavior in a situation where the battery charge becomes critically low. In theory, the utility is primarily intended for developers of software sharpened for Intel Atom , but, given the all-pervasive "green", a few watts saved will benefit advertising and completely stationary applications. However, the latter is the author’s thoughts, while Intel insistson the mobile specifics of the tool, and you can officially install it only on a laptop or netbook. Upon completion of the tests, which this time will take about 30 minutes (you can’t do with the battery for seconds), Power Checker will show an interesting set of information on the application’s energy consumption, and, as usual, it will be useful to upload the report to the Intel server.
I specifically do not want to talk about the things that await developers after uploading a report to the Intel Software Partner program website. Just because those who (so far?) Are not involved in software development will not be very interested. Those who are engaged and try will probably not regret it. I do not want to interfere with making all the useful discoveries on my own. I can’t but mention one thing: there is an opportunity to see - what about other program participants? Of course, no one will hand over names and appearances (as well as yours will remain a secret for everyone), but the statistics, you see, are interesting in themselves.
As a good affiliate program, Intel Software Partner has several levels., from basic to platinum. With the accumulation of experience in software optimization, a personal manager will appear (nice, but the support service responds extremely quickly), it will be possible to place the program participant’s logo on the packaging of disks and the website (verified - helps), and eventually go to meetings with business colleagues and Intel experts in temperate countries.
By the way, about meetings with colleagues. Speaking about the Intel Software Partner program, one cannot help but recall the Intel Software Network developer community. In the ISN forum, you can always discuss questions with Intel colleagues and specialists, and in blogsread about interesting cases related to software and hardware, new trends, ISN events and many other things. I well understand that readers of this blog have heard about ISN a hundred times, and many of these reminders are fed up. It is a little reassuring that I myself have not yet made such an appeal, and I will not repeat myself in the future :) I promise.
But back to where we started. This post can grow up to a dozen screens, however, it still will not describe all the possibilities provided by the Intel Software Partner program. Honestly, the meticulousness (or, if you like, thoroughness) of Intel people is simply amazing: along with software tools, a fair amount of others seem to be economic, managerial, and almost psychological (like, for example, having an interview template with potential clients?) . That is, it is clear that a good (and correctly optimized) product can sell itself, but if you help it a little ...
Resources for planning, Intel library for partners, plans for Intel products, marketing materials - come in, see for yourself, the benefit of access is completely free. And don’t try to suspect Intel of altruism: of course, the corporation really wants the software to maximize the capabilities of its hardware solutions, because it promotes sales. But, at the same time, Intel hardware is so widespread that a program optimized for it will find happier users much easier than not fully working. Such win-win turns out, if you use the terminology of Western negotiators.
Probably those who are seriously involved in programming know that this is not just work. Rather, a kind of mixture of business and lifestyle. And therefore, always, even during severe time pressure, the desire to make their brainchild faster, more modern, “easier” does not disappear. Of course, in the summer, and even the way it is this year, I don’t really want to make unnecessary movements and experiment with unfamiliar tools. Nevertheless, if you are a developer, try what is offered as part of the Intel Software Partner without delaying it until the fall. Really, the result can far exceed the effort expended.
And perhaps these and other Intel tools will help achieve much, much more.
There is probably no special need to talk about how quickly the number of cores in modern processors is growing, and how users are pleased when applications use them to the maximum. Well, or how many people play on Intel's integrated graphics solutions. However, many developers continue to act by the methods of the times when the cores in the processors were large and lived solely on their own. Of course, people do this not out of principle. It’s just not always clear - where to start, how to calculate weaknesses in optimization, what exactly needs to be improved for the correct use of a multi-core processor. Indeed, a lot of questions arise, and not only on processors - there is something to work on in the field of 3D graphics, working with video, and to check the functionality of various management software. Finally, a new trend arose:
For those who think about such things, the Intel Software Patner program has been created .
You can register for it completely free, and this process will take five minutes, even if you will carefully consider each item on the questionnaire. Of course, the mere fact of registering with the Intel Software Partner will not make the programs you work on better and faster. But it will open immediately five highly effective tools for evaluating software that help identify the strengths and weaknesses of applications, accelerate optimization and, very importantly, get advice from Intel experts who know more about their products than anyone else. Plus, most of the five representatives are able to evaluate the application and report on it based on the results of only a 30-second study.
The first tool is called Intel Concurrency Checker, and it is designed to measure application performance on multi-core processors. You can immediately download and install it on your computer (there are versions for 32-bit and 64-bit Windows, as well as for Linux), but it’s probably better to first download the most detailed instructions in Russian , watch Checker’s video review , equipped with Russian subtitles, or even download a webinar. Launch, and in thirty seconds you will find out how many cores were actually used by the application and how intensively, whether parallel processes interfered with each other, and if they interfered, to what extent. Concurrency Checker creates a file with a report that should be uploaded to the Intel server (of course, with a guarantee of non-distribution of the received data), because in return you will receive additional information about the results of the evaluation and a list of recommended code optimizations. Intel recommends that you begin testing applications at an early stage of development, and then resort to it after each change to the code.
The second tool is Intel Graphics Checker. Probably, everything has a different attitude to integrated graphics solutions of Intel, but the developer of three-dimensional games cannot neglect the fact that they account for more than 50% of the market. Therefore, the likelihood of launching his brainchild on Intel HD or GMA 3150, to put it mildly, is high. Of course, there are games that do not even work on the integrated graphics, but such a minority. It would probably be useful for everyone else to test the suitability for relatively weak systems - because their owners also want to play, and sales are not too big. The algorithm for working with Intel Graphics Checker is similar: instruction , video, installing the utility itself and - launch! It is important not to forget to choose the genre of the game for additional accuracy of conclusions. It is worth noting that after 30 seconds you will learn relatively little useful, and the most interesting thing is waiting after the report is uploaded to the Intel server, where, along with the additional nuances of the report, you will also receive recommendations for optimizing the code. Having estimated what and how, you can refine the game so that it works at an acceptable speed even on integrated graphics. Thanks for the optimization, owners of budget laptops and guys with large, powerful computers, who also "will get faster," will say.
The third representative of the five, Intel Media Checker, is responsible for "evaluating applications based on the Intel Media SDK for encoding, decoding, or preprocessing formatted WMV, H.264, or MPEG-2 video streams." For the uninitiated, this verbal construction sounds pretty abstract, but in fact, the Intel Media SDK is very popular and used, for example, in the Media Player Classic, installed, it seems, on half of the world's computers. The library helps the player to hardware-decode HD-video using the integrated Intel graphics adapter, and will probably be useful in similar products, as well as in all multimedia applications, sharpened for working with video content. Including, of course, in games. In this case, the principle of using the utility is the same, and even its interface is very similar.The instruction , a training video , thirty seconds to collect data, and now you can see whether the hardware decoding is working or the graphics chip was resting, and instead the processor was working. And again, it makes sense to send a report to Intel to get more detailed information and useful recommendations for code optimization, if necessary.
Intel Manageability Checker is a utility that stands out a bit apart, because it is intended primarily for applications used not at home, but at work. Instruction manualsays it is "an easy-to-use tool that offers an affordable way to record and identify Intel AMT packets, as well as the ability to compare them with Intel AMT use cases." It’s probably worth clarifying that Intel Active Management Technology ( Intel AMT) Is a feature built into Intel platforms that extends the ability to manage enterprise computing systems. It is processor independent, and even the operating system installed on the computer does not play a role. But to use Manageability Checker, you will need a system that supports vPro technology. More precisely, the utility itself will work on any system with a Core 2 Duo processor or older installed, but it will act as a management console, and the tested application should be installed on it. A computer with vPro is needed to verify how AMT packets go in both directions. Both systems must be on the same network. The paragraph about this utility is somewhat heavy, but there is nothing to be done: the development of corporate solutions is a very tough task, but also quite profitable. Especially if the result justifies its expectations. Intel Manageability Checker greatly contributes to this. Just in case, I’ll clarify that the utility also creates a report sent to Intel for more information and useful tips.
Finally, the fifth tool that became available just a few days ago is Intel Power Checker. It is designed to study the power consumption of applications during operation and downtime, as well as their behavior in a situation where the battery charge becomes critically low. In theory, the utility is primarily intended for developers of software sharpened for Intel Atom , but, given the all-pervasive "green", a few watts saved will benefit advertising and completely stationary applications. However, the latter is the author’s thoughts, while Intel insistson the mobile specifics of the tool, and you can officially install it only on a laptop or netbook. Upon completion of the tests, which this time will take about 30 minutes (you can’t do with the battery for seconds), Power Checker will show an interesting set of information on the application’s energy consumption, and, as usual, it will be useful to upload the report to the Intel server.
I specifically do not want to talk about the things that await developers after uploading a report to the Intel Software Partner program website. Just because those who (so far?) Are not involved in software development will not be very interested. Those who are engaged and try will probably not regret it. I do not want to interfere with making all the useful discoveries on my own. I can’t but mention one thing: there is an opportunity to see - what about other program participants? Of course, no one will hand over names and appearances (as well as yours will remain a secret for everyone), but the statistics, you see, are interesting in themselves.
As a good affiliate program, Intel Software Partner has several levels., from basic to platinum. With the accumulation of experience in software optimization, a personal manager will appear (nice, but the support service responds extremely quickly), it will be possible to place the program participant’s logo on the packaging of disks and the website (verified - helps), and eventually go to meetings with business colleagues and Intel experts in temperate countries.
By the way, about meetings with colleagues. Speaking about the Intel Software Partner program, one cannot help but recall the Intel Software Network developer community. In the ISN forum, you can always discuss questions with Intel colleagues and specialists, and in blogsread about interesting cases related to software and hardware, new trends, ISN events and many other things. I well understand that readers of this blog have heard about ISN a hundred times, and many of these reminders are fed up. It is a little reassuring that I myself have not yet made such an appeal, and I will not repeat myself in the future :) I promise.
But back to where we started. This post can grow up to a dozen screens, however, it still will not describe all the possibilities provided by the Intel Software Partner program. Honestly, the meticulousness (or, if you like, thoroughness) of Intel people is simply amazing: along with software tools, a fair amount of others seem to be economic, managerial, and almost psychological (like, for example, having an interview template with potential clients?) . That is, it is clear that a good (and correctly optimized) product can sell itself, but if you help it a little ...
Resources for planning, Intel library for partners, plans for Intel products, marketing materials - come in, see for yourself, the benefit of access is completely free. And don’t try to suspect Intel of altruism: of course, the corporation really wants the software to maximize the capabilities of its hardware solutions, because it promotes sales. But, at the same time, Intel hardware is so widespread that a program optimized for it will find happier users much easier than not fully working. Such win-win turns out, if you use the terminology of Western negotiators.
Probably those who are seriously involved in programming know that this is not just work. Rather, a kind of mixture of business and lifestyle. And therefore, always, even during severe time pressure, the desire to make their brainchild faster, more modern, “easier” does not disappear. Of course, in the summer, and even the way it is this year, I don’t really want to make unnecessary movements and experiment with unfamiliar tools. Nevertheless, if you are a developer, try what is offered as part of the Intel Software Partner without delaying it until the fall. Really, the result can far exceed the effort expended.
And perhaps these and other Intel tools will help achieve much, much more.