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

To: Chung Yang who wrote (7270)	1/26/1998 4:02:00 PM
From: Babu Arunachalam	Respond to of 64865

Digital probably has more technology than Compaq does. Maybe, Compaq won't use their technology directly like porting DEC UNIX to x86,... but DEC was a pioneer in multi processor architectures. They do have a wealth of information and couldn't do as much R&D in recent years because they were getting knocked out of every space till they disintegrated. Just thought I would say that the kernel of NT is based more on VMS and was designed by the guy who developed VMS. Can't remember his name of my mind. Compaq would still try to sell DEC Unix servers and work on it's interoperability with it's NT machines (and those DEC's), so that they can sell more servers to existing customers too. SUN now has to find a way to sell more servers and that's going to come about when they release their 1000 processor scalable architecture and when Network Computing takes off. I think Compaq is a REAL threat now than ever before. Cheers, Babu >>>>>>>>>>>> Just want to remind you that Compaq had also bought Tandem which has not resulted in any significant competition for SUN. Tandem has better server clustering technology than Digital. I believe Compaq bought Digital for their customer base and not for their techology. Digital Alpha is a dying platform. With Compaq's comitment to x86, I don't think Compaq would be wise to continue building Alpha boxes. Digital has their own version of UNIX however their hardware lags behind SUN, IBM, and HP in terms of performance and scalability. They most powerful NT based server that Digital has is a 8 way Alpha based system, which may be a good system however, the market is saturated with 8 way systems. Why would anyone want to buy a machine with a architecture that maybe phased out soon? I think this deal simply signifies an indignant end to an once powerful computing company. I am sad to see Digital go since they have made many contribution to the world of computer design. But now they are relegated to become a footnote in future computer engineering textbooks. - Chung >>>>>>>>

To: Chung Yang who wrote (7270)	1/26/1998 4:09:00 PM
From: Charles Tutt	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 64865

Excellent analysis. There are one or two additional aspects that might bear mention, though. Digital may have some patents or other intellectual property that Compaq can use, either in the Compaq or Tandem lines. I believe Digital also has some "special" ties to Microsoft, as a result of the NT-on-Alpha connection (which is, I think, the only remaining non-Intel NT). Those might also be useful to CPQ. But the bottom line is, I think, that Compaq mostly wanted the service people/organization, and (as you point out) the customer base. I think the confusion this will create will afford Sun an opportunity to pick up both customers and manpower. I, too, hate to see DEC go. One of the first machines I ever used was a PDP-8, and I've got my old PDP-11 sitting next to me even as I type this. JMHO, of course.

To: Chung Yang who wrote (7270)	1/26/1998 5:01:00 PM
From: paul	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 64865

DEC has vertical industry expertise and a strong services organization in terms of headcount if not profitability. Over the long term if Compaq isnt commited to Unix or Alpha I dont see them getting anything they wouldnt have gotten by being part of the Wintel food chain. I wonder how Sequent reacts that their new OS of the future is going to be developed by a company that isnt committed to it. I also agree on a personal note that most of us of a "certain age" grew up in a DEC world and seeing a screwdriver shop like Compaq take them over is sad - is it too late to exorciate Ken Olsen or has the statute of limitations passed?