View source for IRIX

{{Short description|Computer operating system}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox OS
| name = IRIX
| screenshot = IRIX desktop.png
| caption = IRIX 6.5 desktop
| developer = [[Silicon Graphics]]
| family = [[Unix]] ([[SVR3]]/[[SVR4]])
| working_state = Historic as of December 2013<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.sgi.com/services/support/irix_mips_support.html | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121025828/http://www.sgi.com/services/support/irix_mips_support.html | archive-date=January 21, 2012 | publisher=[[Silicon Graphics]] | title=SGI Support of MIPS IRIX Products Continues to December 2013 | access-date=January 15, 2022}}</ref>
| released = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1988}}
| discontinued = yes
| source_model = [[Closed source]]
| latest_release_version = 6.5.30
| latest_release_date = {{Release date and age|df=yes|2006|08|16}}
| marketing_target = Workstations, servers
| supported_platforms = [[MIPS architecture|MIPS]]
| kernel_type = [[Monolithic kernel]]
| userland = [[POSIX]]
| ui = [[IRIX Interactive Desktop]]
| license = [[Proprietary software license|Proprietary]]
}}
'''IRIX''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ai|ɹ|ɪ|k|s}}, {{respell|EYE|ricks}}) is a discontinued [[operating system]] developed by [[Silicon Graphics]] (SGI) to run on the company's proprietary [[MIPS architecture|MIPS]] workstations and servers. It is based on [[UNIX System V]] with [[Berkeley Software Distribution|BSD]] extensions. In IRIX, SGI originated the [[XFS]] file system and the industry-standard [[OpenGL]] [[graphics API]].
==History==
SGI originated the IRIX name in the 1988 release 3.0 of the operating system for the [[SGI IRIS 4D]] series of workstations and servers. Previous releases are identified only by the release number prefixed by "4D1-", such as "4D1-2.2". The "4D1-" prefix continued to be used in official documentation to prefix IRIX release numbers. Prior to the IRIS 4D, SGI bundled the GL2 operating system, based on [[UniSoft]] UniPlus [[System V Unix]], and using the proprietary [[MEX (windowing system)|MEX]] (Multiple EXposure) [[windowing system]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ryan.thoryk.com/sgi/irix_versions.html|title=History of IRIX|author=Ryan Thoryk|date=2021-10-07|access-date=2021-12-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://bitsavers.org/pdf/sgi/iris/007-1103-010_IRIS_Programming_Tutorial_v1.0_1986.pdf|title=IRIS Programming Tutorial V1.0|date=1986|publisher=SGI|access-date=2021-12-25|website=Bitsavers}}</ref>
IRIX 3.x is based on [[UNIX System V]] Release 3 with [[4.3BSD]] enhancements, and incorporates the 4Sight [[windowing system]], based on [[NeWS]] and [[IRIS GL]]. SGI's own [[Extent File System]] (EFS) replaces the System V filesystem.<ref name="history">{{cite web
|url=https://ryan.tliquest.net/sgi/irix_versions.html|title=History of IRIX|access-date=November 18, 2022}}</ref>
IRIX 4.0, released in 1991, replaces 4Sight with the [[X Window System]] (X11R4), the [[4Dwm]] [[window manager]] providing a similar look and feel to 4Sight.<ref name="history"/>
IRIX 5.0, released in 1993, incorporates certain features of UNIX System V Release 4, including [[Executable and Linkable Format|ELF]] executables.<ref name=bs-irix/><ref>[http://irix7.com/techpubs/007-4658-001.pdf 64-bit ELF Object File Specification] (Silicon Graphics)</ref><ref name=irixhistory/> IRIX 5.3 introduced the [[XFS]] [[journaling file system]].<ref name=irixhistory/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://xfs.org/docs/xfsdocs-xml-dev/XFS_User_Guide/tmp/en-US/html/ch01s02.html |title=xFS: The Extension of EFS - "x" for To-be-Determined (but the Name Stuck) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714224038/http://xfs.org/docs/xfsdocs-xml-dev/XFS_User_Guide/tmp/en-US/html/ch01s02.html |archive-date=2014-07-14 |website=XFS.org}}</ref>
In 1994, IRIX 6.0 added support for the 64-bit MIPS [[R8000]] processor, but is otherwise similar to IRIX 5.2. Later 6.x releases support other members of the MIPS processor family in 64-bit mode. IRIX 6.3 was released for the [[SGI O2]] workstation only.<ref name=irixhistory>{{cite web
|url=http://www.sgistuff.net/software/irixhistory/index.html
|title=SGIstuff : Software : Irix Versions
|access-date=November 2, 2007
}}</ref> IRIX 6.4 improved [[multiprocessor]] scalability for the [[SGI Octane|Octane]], [[SGI Origin 2000|Origin 2000]], and [[SGI Onyx2|Onyx2]] systems. The Origin 2000 and Onyx2 IRIX 6.4 was marketed as "Cellular IRIX", although it only incorporates some features from the original Cellular IRIX [[distributed operating system]] project.<ref>{{cite conference |author=S. Whitney |author2=J. McCalpin |author3=N. Bitar |author4=J. L. Richardson |author5=L. Stevens |title="The SGI Origin software environment and application performance" |conference=Proceedings IEEE COMPCON 97 Digest of Papers |location=San Jose, CA, USA |date=February 1997 |page=165-170 |doi=10.1109/CMPCON.1997.584691 |url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/584691 |website=ieeexplore.ieee.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sgi.com/Products/hardware/servers/products/Irix.html|website=sgi.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980203211033/http://www.sgi.com/Products/hardware/servers/products/Irix.html|title=Irix(TM) 6.4|archive-date=February 3, 1998|author=[[Silicon Graphics]]|date=1998}}</ref>
The last major version of IRIX is 6.5, released in May 1998. New minor versions of IRIX 6.5 were released every quarter until 2005, and then four minor releases.<ref name=bs-irix/> Through version 6.5.22, there are two branches of each release: a [[maintenance release]] (identified by an "m" suffix) that includes only fixes to the original IRIX 6.5 code, and a feature release (with an "f" suffix) that includes improvements and enhancements. An overlay upgrade from 6.5.x to the 6.5.22 maintenance release was available as a free download, whereas versions 6.5.23 and higher required an active Silicon Graphics support contract.
A 2001 ''[[Computerworld]]'' review found IRIX in a "critical" state. SGI had been moving its efforts to [[Linux]] and the [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]-based [[SGI Visual Workstation]] but MIPS and IRIX customers convinced SGI to continue to support its platform through 2006.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2584450/vital-signs-for-unix.html|title=Vital Signs for Unix|author=Tom Yager|newspaper=[[Computerworld]]|date=November 19, 2001|access-date=November 18, 2022}}</ref> On September 6, 2006, an SGI press release announced the end of the MIPS and IRIX product lines.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.sgi.com/support/mips_irix.html
|title=SGI - Services & Support: End of General Availability for MIPS IRIX Products
|access-date=November 2, 2007
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071019230510/http://www.sgi.com/support/mips_irix.html |archive-date = October 19, 2007}}</ref> Production ended on December 29, 2006, with final deliveries in March 2007, except by special arrangement. Support for these products ended in December 2013 and they will receive no further updates.<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.sgi.com/services/support/irix_mips_support.html
|title=SGI Support of MIPS® IRIX® Products Changes December 2013
|access-date=March 3, 2014}}
</ref>
Much of IRIX's core technology has been open sourced and ported by SGI to Linux,<ref name=irixlinux>{{cite journal|url=https://www.linuxjournal.com/article/4421|journal=[[Linux Journal]]|title=Porting from IRIX to Linux|author=George Koharchik|date=January 31, 2001|access-date=August 20, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041226003358/https://www.linuxjournal.com/article/4421|archive-date=December 26, 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sgi.com/software/lsf/|website=sgi.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011211125640/http://www.sgi.com/software/lsf/|title=Load Sharing Facility|archive-date=December 11, 2001|author=[[Silicon Graphics]]|date=2001}}</ref><ref name=seddon/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sgi.com/products/software/opengl/overview.html|title=SGI – OpenGL Overview|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041031094901/http://www.sgi.com/products/software/opengl/overview.html|archive-date=October 31, 2004|access-date=August 20, 2024|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=July 31, 2006|title=OpenGL ARB to Pass Control of OpenGL Specification to Khronos Group|url=https://www.khronos.org/news/press/opengl_arb_to_pass_control_of_opengl_specification_to_khronos_group|access-date=August 20, 2024|website=The Khronos Group|language=en}}</ref> including XFS.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://olstrans.sourceforge.net/release/OLS2000-xfs/OLS2000-xfs.html | title= Porting XFS to Linux | website= Olstrans.SourceForge.net | date= 2000-07-21 | access-date= 2024-08-19 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130225112334/http://olstrans.sourceforge.net/release/OLS2000-xfs/OLS2000-xfs.html | archive-date= 2013-02-25 | url-status= live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url= https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.4/ChangeLog-2.4.25 | title= Linux kernel 2.4.25 changelog | website= [[kernel.org]] | date= 2004-02-18 | access-date= 2024-08-19 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140819083123/https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.4/ChangeLog-2.4.25 | archive-date= 2014-08-19 | url-status= live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title= Common threads: Advanced filesystem implementor's guide, Part 9, Introducing XFS |author= Daniel Robbins |work= Developer Works |publisher= IBM |date= January 1, 2002 |url= http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/library/l-fs9/index.html | access-date=August 19, 2024 | url-status= dead | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150904032700/http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/library/l-fs9/index.html| archive-date= September 4, 2015 }}</ref>
In 2009, SGI filed for bankruptcy and then was purchased by [[Rackable Systems]],<ref>{{cite press release|url = http://www.sgi.com/company_info/newsroom/press_releases/2009/april/rackable.html|title = Rackable Systems Announces Agreement to Acquire Silicon Graphics Inc.|access-date = August 20, 2024|date = April 1, 2009|publisher = Silicon Graphics}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release|url = http://www.rackable.com/news/pressrelease.aspx?prid=693|title = Rackable Systems Completes Acquisition of Silicon Graphics Assets|access-date = August 20, 2024|date = May 11, 2009|publisher = [[Rackable Systems]]|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090511040251/http://www.rackable.com/news/pressrelease.aspx?prid=693|archive-date = May 11, 2009|url-status = dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release|url = http://www.rackable.com/news/pressrelease.aspx?prid=699|title = Rackable Systems Receives Court Approval to Purchase Silicon Graphics Assets|access-date = August 20, 2024|date = April 30, 2009|publisher = [[Rackable Systems]]|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090514034511/http://www.rackable.com/news/pressrelease.aspx?prid=699|archive-date = May 14, 2009|url-status = dead}}</ref> which was later purchased by [[Hewlett Packard Enterprise]] in 2016.<ref name="HPE-SGI">{{cite press release
| url         = https://www.hpe.com/us/en/newsroom/news-archive/press-release/2016/08/1272793-hewlett-packard-enterprise-to-acquire-sgi-to-extend-leadership-in-high-growth-big-data-analytics-and-high-performance-computing.html
| title       = Hewlett Packard Enterprise to Acquire SGI to Extend Leadership in High-Growth Big Data Analytics and High-Performance Computing
| accessdate  = 2024-08-20
| date        = 2016-08-11
| publisher   = Hewlett Packard Enterprise
| url-status  = dead
| archiveurl  = https://web.archive.org/web/20160911162616/https://www.hpe.com/us/en/newsroom/news-archive/press-release/2016/08/1272793-hewlett-packard-enterprise-to-acquire-sgi-to-extend-leadership-in-high-growth-big-data-analytics-and-high-performance-computing.html
| archivedate = 2016-09-11}}</ref><ref name="HPE-SGI-done">{{cite press release
| url         = https://www.hpe.com/us/en/newsroom/news-archive/press-release/2016/11/Hewlett-Packard-Enterprise-Completes-Acquisition-of-SGI.html
| title       = Hewlett Packard Enterprise Completes Acquisition of SGI
| accessdate  = 2024-08-20
| date        = 2016-11-01
| publisher   = Hewlett Packard Enterprise
| url-status  = dead
| archiveurl  = https://web.archive.org/web/20161103234625/https://www.hpe.com/us/en/newsroom/news-archive/press-release/2016/11/Hewlett-Packard-Enterprise-Completes-Acquisition-of-SGI.html
| archivedate = 2016-11-03}}</ref> All SGI hardware produced after 2007 is based on either [[IA-64]] or [[x86-64]] architecture, so it is incapable of running IRIX and is instead intended for [[Red Hat Enterprise Linux]] or [[SUSE Linux Enterprise Server]].<ref>{{Cite news |title= New Deskside Silicon Graphics Prism System Offers Double the Memory of IBM and HP Systems |work= News release |date= April 26, 2005 |url= http://www.sgi.com/company_info/newsroom/press_releases/2005/april/prism_deskside.html |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20050427113159/http://www.sgi.com/company_info/newsroom/press_releases/2005/april/prism_deskside.html |archive-date= April 27, 2005 |access-date= August 20, 2024 }}</ref><ref>[[Silicon Graphics|Silicon Graphics, Inc.]] (14 November 2005). ''SGI Launches New Flagship Altix 4000 Platform''. ([[Press release]]).</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sgi.com/support/mips_irix.html |title=End of General Availability for MIPS IRIX Products |access-date=August 20, 2024 |publisher=Silicon Graphics |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090426090853/http://www.sgi.com/support/mips_irix.html |archive-date=April 26, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.hpcwire.com/features/Back_to_the_Future_SGI_Returns_to_Visualization.html
|title=Back to the Future: SGI Returns to Visualization
|date=2008-04-11
|work=HPCwire
|accessdate=2024-08-20
}}</ref><ref name="altix-uv-pr">{{cite web|url=http://www.sgi.com/company_info/newsroom/press_releases/2009/november/altix_uv.html|title=SGI Unveils Altix UV, the World's Fastest Supercomputer|date=2009-11-16|work=www.sgi.com|publisher=[[Silicon Graphics International]]|accessdate=2024-08-20| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20091121150316/http://www.sgi.com/company_info/newsroom/press_releases/2009/november/altix_uv.html| archivedate= November 21, 2009 | url-status= live}}</ref> HPE has not stated any plans for IRIX development or source code release.
==Features==
IRIX 6.5 is compliant with [[UNIX System V]] Release 4, [[UNIX 95]], and [[POSIX]] (including 1e/2c draft 15 [[Access Control List|ACL]]s and Capabilities).<ref name=bs-irix>{{Cite web|url=https://www.operating-system.org/betriebssystem/_english/bs-irix.htm|title=IRIX Operating System (Unix)|website=operating-system.org}}</ref>
In the early 1990s, IRIX was a leader in [[Symmetric multiprocessing|Symmetric Multi-Processing (SMP)]], scalable from 1 to more than 1,024 processors with a single system image. IRIX has strong support for real-time disk and graphics I/O. IRIX was widely used for the 1990s and 2000s in the [[computer animation]] and [[scientific visualization]] industries, due to its large application base and high performance. It still is relevant in a few legacy applications.
IRIX is one of the first Unix versions to feature a [[graphical user interface]] for the main desktop environment. [[IRIX Interactive Desktop]] uses the [[4Dwm]] [[X window manager]] with a custom look designed using the [[Motif (software)|Motif widget toolkit]].<ref name=5dwm/> IRIX is the originator of the industry standard [[OpenGL]] for graphics chips and image processing libraries.<ref name=seddon>{{cite book|title=OpenGL Game Development|page=43|chapter=History of OpenGL|author=Seddon, Chris|publisher=Wordware|year=2005|isbn=1-55622-989-5|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ahb5bqeLROAC&q=IRIS+GL&pg=PA43}}</ref><ref name=OpenGLs_PrehistoryIRIS_GL>{{cite web|author=Kilgard, Mark|url=https://www.slideshare.net/Mark_Kilgard/sigraph-asia-2008-modern-opengl-presentation/13-13OpenGLs_PrehistoryIRIS_GL_1Window_system|title=OpenGL Prehistory: IRIS GL (slide from SIGGRAPH talk)|website=www.slideshare.net|year=2008}}</ref><ref name=opengl/overview>{{cite web|url=http://www.sgi.com/products/software/opengl/overview.html|title=SGI – OpenGL Overview|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041031094901/http://www.sgi.com/products/software/opengl/overview.html|archive-date=October 31, 2004|access-date=August 19, 2024|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="g926">{{cite web|last1=Peddie|first1=Jon|title=Who's the Fairest of Them All?|url=http://www.cgw.com/Publications/CGW/2012/Volume-35-Issue-4-June-July-2012/Who-s-the-Fairest-of-Them-All-.aspx|publisher=Computer Graphics World|access-date=August 19, 2024|date=July 2012}}</ref><ref name=opengl_arb_khronos>{{Cite web|date=July 31, 2006|title=OpenGL ARB to Pass Control of OpenGL Specification to Khronos Group|url=https://www.khronos.org/news/press/opengl_arb_to_pass_control_of_opengl_specification_to_khronos_group|access-date=August 19, 2024|website=The Khronos Group|language=en}}</ref>
IRIX uses the [[Open64|MIPSPro]] compiler for both its front end and back end. The compiler, also known in earlier versions as IDO (IRIS Development Option), was released in many versions, many of which are coupled to the OS version. The last version was 7.4.4m, designed for 6.5.19 or later.  The compiler is designed to support parallel [[POSIX]] programming in C/C++, Fortran 77/90, and Ada. The Workshop GUI IDE is used for development.  Other tools include Speedshop for performance tuning, and [[Performance Co-Pilot]].<ref>{{cite web| url=https://irix7.com/techpubs/007-3964-002.pdf|title=Performance Co-Pilot IRIX® Base Software Administrator's Guide|publisher=Silicon Graphics, Inc.|website=irix7.com}}</ref>
==4Dwm==
'''4Dwm''' is the [[window manager]] component of the [[IRIX Interactive Desktop]] normally used on [[Silicon Graphics]] workstations running IRIX. 4Dwm is derived from the older [[Motif Window Manager]] and uses the [[Motif (software)|Motif]] [[widget toolkit]] on top of the [[X Window System]] found on most [[Unix]] systems.<ref name=5dwm/><ref>[http://irix7.com/techpubs/007-2006-120.pdf IRIX Interactive Desktop Integration guide] (Silicon Graphics, 1998)</ref><ref>[http://irix7.com/techpubs/007-3951-001.pdf Motif 2.1 Porting Guide] (Silicon Graphics, 1998)</ref> 4Dwm on IRIX was one of the first default [[graphical user interface]] desktops to be standard on a Unix computer system. 4Dwm refers to "[[Four-dimensional space|Fourth dimension]] window manager" and has no relation to [[dwm]].
Other [[X window manager]]s that mimic the 4Dwm [[look and feel]] exist, such as 4Dwm theme for [[IceWM]] and [[5Dwm]]<ref name=5dwm>[http://5dwm.org/roadmap.html#5Dwm_The_Window_Manager 5Dwm, The Window Manager]</ref> which is a [[Clone (computing)|clone]]/compatible implementation of 4Dwm based on [[Motif (software)#Open Motif|OpenMotif]]. 5Dwm support both the classic [[Silicon Graphics|SGI]] look and a modern/polished look and feel with [[Font rasterization|anti-aliased fonts]] and [[UTF-8]] support.
=== Features ===
* A [[stacking window manager]]
* Uses the [[Motif (software)|Motif]] widget library
* Applications can be launched via a [[menu panel]]
* [[Window decoration]]s include borders and a [[titlebar]]
* The titlebar provides a [[Meta (prefix)|meta]] button and facilities to minimize and maximize windows
* Support for [[Theme (computing)|themes]]
==See also==
* [[:Category:IRIX software|IRIX software]]
* [[Silicon Graphics Image]] format about <code>.iris</code>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* [https://techpubs.jurassic.nl Technical Publications Mirror]
* [https://www.siliconbunny.com Silicon Bunny - IRIX software and information]
* [https://irixnet.org IRIX Network - IRIX software, information, forums, and archive]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060818192713/http://www.cepba.upc.es/docs/sgi_doc/SGI_Admin/books/IA_BakSecAcc/sgi_html/index.html IRIX Admin: Backup, Security, and Accounting] Document Number: 007-2862-004 February 1999
* [https://sgi.sh Silicon Graphics User Group]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160303215909/http://4dwm.lumpiarze.nstrefa.pl/ 4Dwm theme for Fvwm]
* [https://store.kde.org/p/1457778 Irixium theme for Plasma]
{{Silicon Graphics}}
{{unix-like}}
{{Desktop environments and window managers for X11 and Wayland}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Irix}}
[[Category:Silicon Graphics]]
[[Category:1988 software]]
[[Category:IRIX| ]]
[[Category:Discontinued operating systems]]
[[Category:MIPS operating systems]]
[[Category:UNIX System V]]