SI
SI
discoversearch

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor.  We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community.  If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.
Technology Stocks : Intel Corporation (INTC) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: Process Boy who wrote (90996)10/27/1999 1:22:00 AM
From: Paul Engel  Respond to of 186894
 
PB & Intel Investors - Not Necessarily Good News for Intel - but BAD NEWS for SUN Microsystems !

Looks like E-BAY may be abandoning Sun Servers - and is looking at IBM and HP (probably non-Intel versions ).

However, if your servers are going to crash, you may as well go with cheap WINTEL boxes !

Either way, it sounds like Scott McNealy better quit trashing Bill Gates and get his technology to match up with SUN's ULTRA-HYPE.

By the way - has ANYONE seen the new SUN UltraSPARC III - which was scheduled for SUMMER 1998, then "slipped" to early 1999, then slipped to END of 1999 ?

Paul

{====================================}
Ebay leaning away from Sun servers

By Bloomberg News
Special to CNET News.com
October 26, 1999, 5:35 p.m. PT

URL: news.cnet.com

SAN JOSE--EBay, the No. 1 Internet auctioneer, said it's considering buying computers from International Business Machines and Hewlett-Packard, a possible blow to current supplier Sun Microsystems.

EBay is talking to IBM and Hewlett-Packard, the No. 1 and 2 computer makers, as well as Sun about buying server computers that will power its Web site, said chief executive Margaret Whitman. EBay will gradually replace its computers in the next 12 to 18 months, she said.

Analysts have expected eBay would be looking to replace its computers after several well-publicized failures this year. With an eBay sale, Hewlett-Packard and IBM would gain prestige in the Internet market, which Sun has dominated for the past two years.

"It certainly would be a black eye for Sun" if eBay went elsewhere for its computers, said Gary Helmig, a Soundview Technology Group analyst who rates IBM "buy."

The eBay site has had a string of failures, some of which the San Jose, California-based company blamed on Sun. One software glitch traced to Sun shut down eBay for almost a full day.

EBay is discussing the possibility of buying IBM mainframes and servers for the site, said IBM spokesman Tim Ohsann. IBM computers are the basis of Charles Schwab's Web trading site. Schwab, the largest Internet brokerage, has been plagued by shutdowns, the latest a two-hour failure on Friday caused by a software glitch.

EBay also is talking with IBM's services unit, which installs and runs computer networks, IBM said.

Winning eBay as a client would be a coup for Hewlett-Packard, which is trying to become a bigger player in Internet computing.

"It would make sense for them to talk to us," said Hewlett-Packard spokesman Atchison Frazer, who declined to say if any negotiations were under way.

EBay hasn't begun final negotiations to purchase the computers, Whitman said.

"What we're working on is what the next generation of the eBay system will be," she said. "We are looking at all options."

Sun officials couldn't be reached immediately to comment.

EBay rose 1.13 to 152. IBM rose 1.63 to 95.50. Hewlett- Packard gained 0.5 to 76.63. Sun fell 1.69 to 91.25.

Copyright 1999, Bloomberg L.P. All Rights Reserved.