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Not all of the world's genius flows from Cupertino. For Rosetta, the crucial 'binary' software which will build the bridge between PowerPC and Intel processors, has been developed by an internet start-up, Transitive, Builder Au reports. "We've had a long-term relationship with them," CEO Bob Wiederhold said of Apple. Transitive will supply the software 'engine' needed to translate PowerPC software for use on Intel-based Macs. It is a form of emulation, but Apple CEO Steve Jobs seemed satisfied with its performance at the demonstration at the WWDC Monday. Like the transition from the 680x0 chip to PowerPC processors, Transitive's Rosetta engine will translate the PowerPC instruction set to a set of instructions understood by Intel x86 processors. But industry commentators are sceptical of binary/emulation performance, arguing that when 60% of native speed is promised, typically 40% is the end-user result. In the article, Wiederhold speaks of achieving between 60 and 80% of the performance of native software. Transitive also has Silicon Graphics Inc. as a customer. Not all the PowerPC instructions will translate to Intel, however. But if developer end up producing 'universal binaries' (both PPC and Intel versions) of software packages, then Rosetta won't be required. Universal binaries are comparable with the old 'fat' binaries that developers used to release for applications which could run natively on both 680x0 and PowerPC processors. Significantly, marketing VP Phil Schiller said to c|net this week that he wouldn't discuss how much of the Rosetta programming was done in-house. Analysis: At least Apple isn't taking a 'not invented here' approach. And, with any luck, Rosetta won't be required after a few years when every app goes native. And, like 680x0 apps and Classic, native versions will be all any developer will release after the 'transitive' phase is over.
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