Marc, that's the part that confuses me...Compaq starting a NEW
relationship with Phoenix BIOS for portable computers in July.
Read what Compaq said in Infoworld dated A MONTH EARLIER:
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Publication Date: June 24, 1996 (Vol. 18, Issue 26)
By year's end, Compaq Computer Corp. will develop and standardize
its basic input/output system (BIOS) on all of its portable lines as a
way to provide uniformity, ease of configuration, and direct support
for corporate IS managers.
But some analysts questioned the actual advantage for corporate
accounts, which often manage systems and products from a variety
of different vendors.
"In theory, standardizing BIOS does help IT managers, as long as
they're using all Compaq products," said Rob Enderle, senior analyst
at Giga Information Group, in Santa Clara, Calif.
"But most workplaces are mixed environments, in which case it does
you no good."
However, Enderle surmised that standardizing BIOS and other
firmware may be a way for Compaq to build customer loyalty by
offering IS managers the consistency to reconfigure systems with
little difficulty.
Compaq officials sounded a similar theme.
"It's an IS manager's dream that we make our own [BIOS] and
standardize it for all platforms," said Michael Winkler, senior vice
president for mobile computing at Compaq.
Currently, Compaq develops its own BIOS for all portable lines
except its high-end LTE 5000 notbooks, which are outsourced to
SystemSoft Inc., in Natick, Mass. But by the next iteration of the
LTE 5000, expected by year's end, Compaq will take over BIOS
development for that line as well.
"It will make things even easier for the customers, who will now be
able to come directly to us with any BIOS-related problems or to
update things," said Sharon Francia, director of portable product
marketing at Compaq.
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Why did Compaq start a NEW relationship with Phoenix only a
month after they kicked out Systemsoft and said that they wanted
to standardize across all their lines and use their own BIOS??? |
