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To: SC who wrote (26785)	5/30/1998 7:11:00 AM
From: William Hunt	Respond to of 97611

THREAD --- MERCED IMPACT-WHO IS AFFECTED---Dow Jones Newswires -- May 29, 1998 Intel's Merced Delayed -2: Other Products Cushion Impact Many industry experts said Intel's delay of Merced should have been expected given the complexity of the design. "This is a significantly different chip," said Mel Thomsen, director of consulting at Microdesign Resources. "It's a big project" with many new "learning experiences" for Intel. Some analysts also said Intel might not feel the delay in its financial results for some time. The company has several new products coming out over the next couple years, including a powerful Xeon version of its Pentium II family later this year, and other chips code named Katmai and Tanner in 1999. The company could conceivably squeeze out another generation of products from its Pentium II architecture using 0.18-micron technology, said C.B. Lee, an analyst at Hancock Institutional Equity Services. "They have plenty of products coming," so the revenue impact of the delay even in 2000 will be minimal, said Nathan Brookwood, an analyst at Dataquest. But the delay provides an opportunity for Unix vendor Sun Microsystems, processor maker International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) and Digital Equipment Corp. (DEC), which sells the speedy Alpha chip. A late Merced, however, is a blow for vendors planning on its timely arrival, including Hewlett-Packard, Silicon Graphics Inc. (SGI), Sequent Computer Systems Inc. (SQNT) and even Microsoft Corp. (MSFT), which is relying on powerful hardware to run its Windows NT 5.0 operating system. BEST WISHES BILL

To: SC who wrote (26785)	5/30/1998 7:35:00 AM
From: SC	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 97611

Quote: "we should have the 64-bit support from Microsoft prior to Merced" -- quote from Palmer on January 28, 1998, during a speech Q & A with Bill Gates. I am digging some old news on 64 bit NT and Alpha system. They may not be news to you but probably more interesting to read now in the new perspective: ========================== microsoft.com Digital and Microsoft Announce Expanded Alliance to Accelerate the Adoption of Windows NT Across the Enterprise Microsoft Chairman and CEO Bill Gates and Digital CEO and Chairman Robert Palmer San Francisco, CA January 28, 1998 ... MR. PALMER: Tom, we have not yet developed that sophistication, as far as scalability is concerned. And it's an extraordinarily complex task. But, working with Microsoft, we intend to get that into the marketplace, in calendar year '99. Relative to the other question, I think fundamentally we are clear that Alpha will be available on 64-bit computing ahead of Merced and at least by the technology road map that Intel has indicated, we should have the 64-bit support from Microsoft prior to Merced. So I think many customers will look at it as if you can start today on Alpha, and migrate an application later, or choose to stay on Alpha, or whatever. But, you can get started today. ... ===================== Microsoft's Plans for 64-Bit Windows NT May Be Closer Than You Think psgroup.com Quote: There has been a flurry of activity in the Unix market lately focused on efforts to ensure that various Unix systems are available on Intel's 64-bit Merced processor when it becomes available. Little has been heard in rebuttal from Microsoft regarding details of its plans. What we did know was that Windows NT 5.0 had some 64-bit features for Alpha, but full 64-bit support would come in the future. Now we have a clearer picture of Microsoft's roadmap. Microsoft intends to introduce 64-bit support into a version of NT 5 that will follow its initial release. This will be separate binary from 32-bit NT, although Microsoft hasn't decided whether to put it on a different CD-ROM or not. The release of this version will coincide with the availability of Intel Merced-based systems. There will be simultaneous availability for Alpha and Merced for both the Server and Workstation version of NT. (That is before the announced delay of Merced. How about now?) ======================= Compaq and Digital: A Brave New NT World entmag.com Quote: Accordingly, both Digital and Microsoft announced plans to increase Windows NT support for the Alpha microprocessor .... ... and committed to make sure that 64-bit Windows NT is available on Alpha before Merced. The two companies also announced collaboration on new 32- and 64-processor Alpha servers, to be released in 1999. ==================== US Army and Air Force Salute 64-bit Alpha Technology digital.com Quote: Under the three-year Army Workstation contract, worth more than half a billion dollars, Department of Defense and civilian agencies can purchase 64-bit Alpha workstations running either Digital UNIX 4.0 or Microsoft Windows NT operating systems. (I guess it is not clear whether NT here is 32 bit which can run on 64-bit Alpha machine (already?) or 64 bit. But why not 64 bit NT if it is going to be ready to ship?) The Alpha workstations will serve in engineering, scientific, logistics and administrative functions. Procurement authority under the contract is $495 million for Department of Defense and $99 million for civilian agencies. ========= Processor zdnet.com Microsoft is building the first versions of a 64-bit Windows NT, which is being developed on the Alpha platform. But it will, to be sure, be ported to the P7 when that platform becomes available. It'll be quite a while before a Merced-based system appears on your desktop, though--not in this century. =========== DIGITAL Server 7300/7300R digital.it 64-bit Windows NT ready ======== Digital and Intel Settle Alpha Suit psgroup.com Microsoft, Digital, and Intel will work to ensure that the 64-bit Windows NT applications are source code compatible between Intel and Alpha versions of Windows NT. This means that ISVs can begin building 64-bit Windows NT 5.0 applications for Alpha for delivery ahead of NT on Merced. It appears that Digital is having a lot to say about the 64-bit programming model for Windows NT. Another part of the announcement, Digital working with Intel to port Digital Unix to the IA64, wouldn't mean much, except that Digital and Microsoft are rumored to be preparing an announcement of enhanced Windows NT compatibility for Digital Unix. This could mean that Digital will sell a 64-bit "Windows Compatible" Unix for Intel and Alpha with Win32, COM, DCOM, registry, directory, transaction services, message queuing services and COM+ support. This could be Digital in a very strong position for customers who want the scalability of Unix but the also want the advantages of the Microsoft programming model. As a result of this deal and other cross-platform work, should the time ever come for Digital to end-of-life Alpha, it is likely that the vast majority of applications developed either for Digital Unix or Windows NT would be source code compatible with the corresponding Intel generation. This should help customers feel better about buying Alpha today and may put Digital in the best position the company has been in for years. ============== Windows NT Executives Expect More Power Through Advancing Technology ntmanufacturing.com To find out, Managing Automation asked two executives who help direct the DIGITAL/Microsoft Alliance for Enterprise Computing. Rick Frazier is vice president in charge of Windows NT Marketing at Digital Equipment Corp. Bob McDowell serves as vice president, business customer relationships, for Microsoft. Their thoughts appear below. ... ================ There are many more links you can find in the web search engines. I just have time to include these. Shawn

To: SC who wrote (26785)	5/30/1998 11:40:00 AM
From: rudedog	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 97611

Shawn - I have heard from at least 3 sources within MSFT and 2 in CPQ that MSFT plans a demonstration of 64 bit NT on Alpha at Fall COMDEX this year. Also I have seen a copy of internal MSFT Email from Bill Gates to Dave Cutler congratulating him on a successfull boot of 64 bit NT on Alpha about 2 weeks ago. This was published in last week's Client Server News. I have not seen anything official on the COMDEX demo but I bet the delay in Merced puts this on the front burner for CPQ.