If the 64 bit version of NT is delayed til 2000, as is merced, I would say Compaq might as well scrub plans on backing Alpha as the merced alternative!
Worse than that. The last I looked at charts it showed everyone saying they were staying with Win9x and not moving to NT. The reason is obvious. NT is a downgrade from Win9x. You will lose main parts of exchange (like receiving faxes) and a lot of other features. You have to buy these as "special features" for NT. The idea, IMHO, is that NT is designed to work in a large office with centralized services controlled by NT Server. Oh yeah, I forgot - there is no upgrade path from Win9x to NT. You gotta erase your disk, destroy all the special settings you have for Office, etc and start over. Nobody wants to be the MIS person that does that - you'll get burned at the stake.
There is a solution. Microsoft is working on the version that is coming out in 2000 so that it does upgrade. In fact, there will be no more Win9x - it will morph into NT.
Here's the kicker: Alpha can only run NT - not Win9x. If you buy a box with Alpha in it and you find you need to run win9X on it you are dead meat. After Win9x morphs into NT it will not matter because it will be a NT OS.
So Intel has it timed just about right. In fact you can be Merlin the Magician: I predict Merced will come out just after Win9x morphs into NT. Because then there will be no anguish. If somebody has trouble running Microsoft on Merced, Intel will just say "Don't you have a copy of the latest OS? It only costs $99. Upgrade". MSFT makes out like a bandit, Intel makes out like a bandit. I guess CPQ will do ok because they make Alpha so their box prices will be lower than DELL. However, CPQ then has the overhead problems associated with Alpha.
Personally, I have always questioned the financial merit of Alpha. Maybe it is there but I would like to hear some numbers because it doesn't seem to have a enormous market until the merging of Win9x and NT.
I know rude dog will be able to supply some numbers. Are you reading this, dog? |
