A version of SHELXL adapted to multiple CPUs by Kay Diederichs has been
available from the SHELX download site for several years (in the mp
subdirectory). The precompiled 4-thread version works fine on dual-core
and quad-core Linux PCs and really does run two or four times faster.
For other systems (e.g. an IntelMac Octacore running MacOSX) one has to
recompile.
I am not convinced of the need to produce multithreaded versions of
SHELXD and SHELXE because it is a good idea to run these programs several
times in parallel anyway, e.g. with different resolution cutoffs (heavy
atom location with SHELXD) or different solvent content (density
modification with SHELXE). Several GUIs already do this automatically.
Molecular replacement programs (and Refmac) would be good candidates for
exploiting multiple CPU machines!
George
Prof. George M. Sheldrick FRS
Dept. Structural Chemistry,
University of Goettingen,
Tammannstr. 4,
D37077 Goettingen, Germany
Tel. +49-551-39-3021 or -3068
Fax. +49-551-39-2582
