SPECapc Demonstrates Benchmarks for Maya, Unigraphics, SolidWorks 99

LOS ANGELES, August 11, 1999 � SPEC/GPC�s Application Performance Characterization (SPECapc) project group demonstrated today benchmarks under development for Alias| Wavefront�s Maya and Unigraphics� UG applications. The two benchmarks are being evaluated for possible adoption by SPECapc. The demonstrations took place at SIGGRAPH �99 in Los Angeles, where SPECapc also showed its newest SolidWorks benchmark, SPECapc for SolidWorks 99, expected to be available without charge next month.

Maya is a high-end 3D animation program used widely in television and movie production. Unigraphics is one of the world�s leading CAD/CAM/CAE applications. If adopted, the Maya and Unigraphics benchmarks would join SPECapc for Pro/ENGINEER Rev. 20 and SPECapc for SolidWorks 99 in the SPECapc suite.

SPECapc is seeking to add additional benchmarks for leading software programs in three key application areas: CAD/CAM/CAE, visualization and digital content creation (DCC). SPECapc benchmarks and updated performance results are offered for free on this web site.

"We are searching for models and benchmarks available in the public domain that can be adapted as industry standards," says Paul Martin of Hewlett-Packard, SPECapc�s chair. "We bring to the table the proven SPEC/GPC methodology, which helps ensure that the resulting benchmarks contain appropriate graphics workloads and standardized measurement criteria, review processes, and reporting formats."

SPECapc is a project group of the Graphics Performance Characterization (GPC) Group, which in turn is part of the Standard Performance Evaluation Corp. (SPEC). SPEC is a non-profit corporation formed to establish, maintain and endorse a standardized set of relevant benchmarks that can be applied to the newest generation of high-performance computers. SPEC�s membership includes computer hardware and software vendors, and leading universities and research facilities worldwide.