Tenchusatsu:
If you install NT on a fat partition, you can install Alpha NT DIRECTLY over Intel NT. Keeping all your registry and user settings. Sounds almost impossible.. Well I used to think so as well, until I saw it done.
You saw it done? What else was involved in this upgrade, a motherboard swapout from Intel to Alpha?
Okay, a little background. There were 2 base system, one form Tristar Computers (they make alpha stations) and an identically configured (as much as possible) PC. For the sake of speed, rather than swapping MB's, me moved the HD from the PC to Alpha station. It was relatively easy and wasn't nearly as impossible as we thought it would be. Why did we do it.... well curiousity more than anything, now I know I can have an easy upgrade path for a server should I want it.
OK, you convinced me. But if such an upgrade path exists even before the release of Slot A, then what's the need for an interchangeable Slot A, except to keep the motherboard?
Novenience of not having to move HD's around, videocards and the like.. just swap the CPU. Granted it's not much of an improvment and HARDLY a worth mentioning from a marketing point of view, it just a "little" plus IMHO.
Like I said before, the market positioning of K7 is very confusing. Is the K7/EV6 platform going to "grease the skids to Alpha"? Or is AMD merely borrowing the bus interface technology of Digital's EV6 so that AMD wouldn't have to develop one of their own? My guess is the latter.
I agree with that complete paragraph. It's also a good way for AMD to stay "friends" with Compaq.
By the way, whatever happened to the "mechanically identical to Slot 1, but electrically different" characteristic of Slot A? Is this still a go?
As far as I know. However, the PCB in the cartridge will likely be keyed differently than the PII modules. The good part of mechincally interchangable is that heatsinks, fans, and packaging are all already designed and available, thus reducing TTM (time to market) and costs.
Steve |
