Amy J,
Always love reading your thoughts.
<< I wish there were more reporting on the Sun vs. Intel battle, so I could watch my investment better. >>
Personally, I feel that Intel is okay in fighting off Sun. As Paul has pointed out, Sun is but one loner out there competing with the likes of CPQ, DELL, IBM, HWP, etc...attacking from below. While Sun is perhaps the fastest growing 'big gorilla' company out there currently, they are still a T Rex surrounded by several hungry Triceratops. However, I think Intel needs to get more aggressive at this crucial time in the Next Generation Network (to borrow from Paul Johnson of the 'Gorilla Game'). Intel needs to get riskier and take more chances on acquiring strategically important players. Cisco has the management to do this. Does Intel? I was a CHPS shareholder when Intel grabbed them for almost half their year high. I was lucky enought to have speculated too that they may be acquired by Intel bc of their portable 3D deals. Intel does deals, but usually it's for cheap. But in this new world, cheap is very relative. Will Intel take a Cerent type Cisco risk to move forward in this new world? Because its difficult to change mindsets in this lightning paced new world, I doubt it. It takes a new understanding of trends, and I question whether Intel is quick enough to stay the pace. Current management is bright, but I have started to question their understanding of their own 'inflection points.' Don't get me wrong, I still have my Intel, but I hope they become more proactive on the acquiring front bc they have to imo...
Personally, and it may be way off topic and not make sense to most here, but I think Intel should acquire Qlgc. I own Qlgc. My theory is that Qlgc basically is a semiconductor company right now and its a pure play on the Next Generation storage build-out of the Internet. Two moves happening currently in the PC world are--
SCSI------> Fibre Channel
PCI-------> Infiniband
Intel is a player in both. But as rudedog has argued i believe, as well as many folks bullish on EMC, the periphery (storage) is moving toward the center of future networks and the center (the big IBM, SUNW, HWP, CPQ, etc. boxes) are moving the the periphery. Infiniband is going to be huge...not now, not until late next year at best, but IB players will reap tremendous rewards and this is common sense, imo. Qlgc is partnered with Intel on making Infiniband Switches. Qlgc may even show up on the P4 motherboard as the next IB controller. With Fibre Channel the new storage paradigm (ie. read Brocade's latest financials to see growth), Intel would get a great hedged semiconductor possible 'powerhouse' in grabbing Qlgc for its SCSI, FC, and IB Intellectual Property. Also, because of Qlgc's closeness to Sun, Intel would be even be part of their enemy SUN's growth...okay, sorry to blabber. ;-) Just thinking out loud...
cheers,
pigboy |
