Intel is buying up small software companies

Two in the last few days, and more to come as Intel realises the flaw in its multi-core strategy.

When employees at various tech companies come back from their summer holidays they could find that they are working for Intel.

Intel has been opening its chequebook in recent days and bought two software companies. Apparently it is desperate to get expertise in the development of applications that aim at multicore processors.

It seems that Intel is just now waking up to what we told them years ago, that multicore processors are useless without software to take advantage of them. So far there is still too little software out there to do this.

RapidMind and Cilk Arts have both been seduced to work under Chipzilla's banner.

RapidMind has written a development platform that helps software developers target multicore processors.

Cilk Arts also develops software for multicore computing. Both companies are small firms that employ less than 50 workers.

The purchases follow Intel's buyout of WindRiver in June.

Intel will retain the majority of RapidMind's staff and will go on serving the company's present customers. It is not clear when Intel will stop its buying spree but the summer holidays are nearly over so it might stop then.