Editing Intel Architecture Labs (section)

=== Native Signal Processing (NSP) ===
Native Signal Processing (NSP) was an example of a significant software effort in IAL. NSP was a software initiative to allow Intel-based PCs to run time-sensitive code independently of the [[operating system|operating system (OS)]], allowing real-time audio and video processing on the microprocessors of the mid-1990s. Intel, whose microprocessors powered PC hardware designs, invested heavily in improving the performance of its chips.  As a result of the increase in performance, Intel saw an opportunity to transfer software workloads from specialized microprocessors over to the central Intel microprocessors. This strategy was fundamental to Intel's vision of a powerful central microprocessor made with its advanced chip building capabilities.  NSP was, in that regard, a gold mine of power-hungry software workloads which were previously running on Digital Signal Processor chips. This led to IAL's decision to embark on NSP, a large software initiative to gradually move the algorithms and software implementations from DSPs to the central Intel microprocessor.

IAL's decision to pursue NSP clashed with Microsoft.  NSP's software architecture was designed to be agnostic of the software operating system.  This was a common strategic direction with PC chip manufacturers in the 1980s and 1990s because it allowed chips to be used in a multitude of software operating environments, and not just the Microsoft operating systems such as [[Microsoft Windows]].  IAL kept the NSP secret from Microsoft, contrary to the two company's prior commitment to disclose projects to one another. IAL told Microsoft about NSP in early 1995 when it began to talk to OEMs about pre-installing NSP. Microsoft got a copy of NSP and tested it against Windows 95, which was in late beta test. Microsoft discovered that NSP was incompatible with Windows 95 and caused machines to crash. When Microsoft informed Intel about this, Intel admitted it never tested against Windows 95; Intel felt it was unnecessary because it felt Windows 95 would be a failure. When Microsoft proposed working together to make NSP compatible with Windows 95, IAL declined and would not cooperate with Microsoft to make NSP compatible with the forthcoming Windows 95. As a result, Microsoft went to the OEMs to warn them of the incompatibilities, which caused the OEMs to back away from NSP. With no OEM support, NSP was left as an orphan and not pursued further by IAL.