Steve, >While you're here, any thoughts on SUNW and AMD working together? Seems a stretch, but who knows.
I thought a bit about your question, will just pass on what I know (functionally, or process-wise about how Sun "gets" their chips like Ultrasparc II or III).
Re Sun using AMD someday, I don't know. What I do know is that a division of SUNW, Sun Microelectronics, takes architecture and functional (logic design) specs from Sun's main division which has the architecture and functional (logic design) responsibility to develop. Sun Microelectronics then designs the chips, not sure down to what level, macro, gate, or even mask. Then, they turn the design files, at whatever level, over to TI, who fabricates, packages, tests, etc. and ships the completed chips to Sun.
TI has bet the company on DSP, and I've always wondered how they've kept up with the latest in strictly digital (although part of DSP is certainly digital). Are they as good as Intel and AMD? IBM? in fabbing high speed microprocessor and related chips?). Would Sun be better off with AMD, and at what level (do a joint venture design, use a hammertime, or have AMD implement a chip from a logic design, or be strictly a fab?). Just all conjecture, I have no insight into Sun or their plans. If I were a betting man, I'd say Sun needs some alliances, somewhere to compete against all the rest of the world
Tony |
