Joe, "At this point, it looks like AMD has an advantage in the fact that they will be the first ones to deliver 64bit computing to the desktop level prices."
I do not see much of advantage here. The 64-bit platform
is useful only to big enterprise servers and few
computational scientists. While the latter could
immediately benefit from 64-bit platform, they are
very few in numbers.
The enterprise machines are a different story. The main
cost goes to redundant storage and hot-swappable
power supplies, to high-bandwidth memory with high
level of data correction, to bridges that incorporate
error-correction monitoring and statistics gathering,
to chipsets with wide fast busses and performance
monitoring means built in hardware, to rack-mounts
and stable thermal management and power conditioning.
You cannot bring these guys to desktop-level prices
by making a cheap CPU alone.
To convince a server-maker to build around a non-Intel CPU,
you need to convince them about unconditional support
and intercompatibility with many components, including
seamless software support, and promise a solid
technological roadmap where you are in control - new
interconnect busses, optical interconnects, etc.
Guess who looks more convincing when talking to
server's OEM?
The only open area could be the high-end CAD-CAM
workstations, to work on ever-growing design databases,
but I am afraid that big server pricing considerations
are equally valid here as well, so I remain skeptical.
Regards,
- Ali |
