Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

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 : All About Sun Microsystems -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Keith Hankin who wrote (6777)	1/14/1998 2:42:00 PM
From: The Ox	Respond to of 64865

I agree that the new line is NOT a pc killer in the general sense. The new product line is aimed directly at HP, SGI, ASPX and others in the Unix workstation market. To represent this product line as Sun's attempt to break into the stand alone PC market would be very wrong, IMO. Keep in mind that highend PCs have been cutting into the low/medium end Unix workstation market. This is an attempt to reduce the PC's market share in the workstation arena as well as put serious pressure on others who offer Unix based solutions. Other opinions are welcome.

To: Keith Hankin who wrote (6777)	1/14/1998 2:42:00 PM
From: Charles Tutt	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 64865

Look at who they said in the press release that they were targeting with Darwin (hint: SGI, HP, IBM). The word processing/office desktop folks are being targeted with JavaStations. Different markets, different solutions. JMHO.

To: Keith Hankin who wrote (6777)	1/15/1998 6:37:00 PM
From: Chung Yang	Respond to of 64865

The new adherents realistically will be corporations that uses SUN mission critical servers, but have WinNT/PC has clients. The next segment I see is the Hollywood special effects or graphics professionals who traditionally used SGI machines. Finally, many IT managers who have supported SUN, but could not justify the purchase of those machines based on cost, now can buy SUN. Though the profit margin may be lower, the proliferation of inexpensive clients may ultimately boost higher priced server sale. The cheap clients in conjunction with powerful Servers can realize the kind of computing power not found in any type of PC configuration. To give you an idea on one segment of the industry. The EDA market (the software makers who produce programs that help microprocessor engineers design chips). Accounts for about 1 billion dollar of revenue annually. MCAD market, the mechanical engineer is even bigger piece of the pie that SUN has not captured. The hollywood special effects graphics professionals is yet another market that SUN is poised to take with their new line up. Again, when you think of the Darwin line .. don't think DOOM or Office 97. Think Oracle, Sybase, Silicon Emsemble, think mission critical .. think enterprise. There is where SUN has traditionally made its money. With the enterprise market growing by leaps and bounds, that is where SUN will keep on making more money. - Chung >>> OK, fine, so the Darwin line might stem the tide of losses of the already-existing customer base. But will they gain any new adherents with this approach? I suspect not many. Then the question becomes: how big is the existing customer-base and what percentage can be counted on for new purchases. If the expectations of investors is that this is a PC killer and that converts will be made of those who are not current Sun customers, I believe that you will be sadly disappointed. But, can anyone come up with a guesstimate of how this will add to revenue, in a realistic way? <<<<