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 : S3 (A LONGER TERM PERSPECTIVE) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Parker Benchley who wrote (11921)	9/4/1998 10:57:00 AM
From: David K.	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 14577

Anyone have any thoughts on this copper technology. If it can be done with processors couldn't it be used with graphics chips?? It seems to improve performance considerably. I didn't copy the whole release but if i recall ibm claims to have taken a 300 mgz chip and made it a 400mgz chip just buy using copper. I'm wondering if the first graphics chip using this copper technology will blow the doors off everyone else. FISHKILL, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 1, 1998--IBM today announced the shipment of the world's first copper-based microprocessors, including a PowerPC 740/750 operating at 400MHz. The company also announced several other initiatives associated with copper, including availability of the fastest embedded processor on the market, a 400 MHz embedded PowerPC chip. IBM also announced it will incorporate copper into its S/390, RS/6000 and AS/400 server families, with prototypes planned for 1998 and production systems planned for 1999. In addition, the company stated it will immediately broaden the use of copper in the marketplace by building copper chips for other companies through its standard oundry services. This leadership CMOS 7SF technology at industry standard .18 microns is planned for prototypes in the first quarter of 1999 and for production in the second half of 1999.......

To: Parker Benchley who wrote (11921)	9/4/1998 3:45:00 PM
From: Stu	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 14577

Again, I know very little about this subject, but from what I have been reading, the only thing that SIII really has to offer is a bunch of patents. Patents that, as someone mentioned, are quickly getting outdated. If the patents are on new, cutting-edge technology, they might be worth buying. However, do you really think that IBM knows nothing about graphics chips? And unlike CSCO, IBM is not in the habit of purchasing its technology. As for consolidation, what does SIII have to offer other graphics companies? I doubt that the extra production capacity is worth much to these other companies. It would be absurd for them to purchase it for the technology. They all have chips that work about as well. It doesn't seem that SIII has any edge with OEMs. In other words, SIII is cheap because it isn't worth much to anyone except its shareholders. And since it isn't making much money, it isn't even worth much to them.