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Technology Stocks : Compaq -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: rudedog who wrote (32683)	9/10/1998 8:31:00 PM
From: Ibexx	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 97611

Thread, CPQ/MSFT in operating system alliance: ______ Thursday September 10, 7:29 pm Eastern Time Compaq, Microsoft in operating systems pact HOUSTON, Sept 10 (Reuters) - Compaq Computer Corp. (NYSE:CPQ - news) and Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq:MSFT - news) on Thursday announced an alliance aimed at easing the way in which corporate computer operating systems (OS) developed by the companies work together. Under the alliance, Compaq, the Houston-based PC giant which this year bought systems maker Digital Equipment Corp., will license technology from Microsoft that is oriented to Microsoft's NT OS for corporate networks. The technology will be used in future versions of Compaq's Digital UNIX OS. Microsoft will license software previously found only in Compaq's Tandem NonStop Kernal system to be applied to future versions of NT. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. ''You are going to see successive releases from Microsoft's Windows NT and in (future) Compaq Digital Unix releases that will provide the highest degree of interoperability,'' John Rose, a senior vice president at Compaq, told Reuters. The companies said that the initiative addresses the requirements of customers who need to run in-house systems on both Windows NT and UNIX. ''Customers have told us they need a programming environment and interoperability services that address a very high level of integration between their UNIX assets and their Windows NT assets,'' said Paul Maritz of Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft. Microsoft has in the past had alliances with Compaq, as well as with Digital and Tandem Corp., which was acquired by Compaq in 1997. Microsoft rival Sun Microsystems Inc. (Nasdaq:SUNW - news) on Wednesday unveiled technology to make its computers and workstations compatible with networks running Microsoft's Windows NT. ''Project Cascade,'' Sun's code name for the software, will allow computers running Sun's Solaris operating system to link easily to systems running Microsoft's Windows NT for corporate networks, Sun said. Microsoft and Compaq executive said their initiative was not a response to Sun's news and their pact was long in the works. ''Sun's announcement yesterday was really them trying to catch up to what's been going on in the industry,'' Paul Maritz of Microsoft said in a press conference call. ''They are the Johnny-come-lately to this party.'' When asked if the Compaq/Microsoft project had a name, Compaq's Rose said there was no formal title and took a swipe at Sun when he added: ''We didn't choose to name it like a detergent tagline like 'Cascade.''' Ibexx

To: rudedog who wrote (32683)	9/10/1998 8:50:00 PM
From: Eddie Kim	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 97611

>>Some analysts have said this is the most significant technology deal Microsoft has done since the original IBM deals. So is this good or bad for Compaq? When will Compaq see the benefits of this alliance. I read it will be after the release of NT 5.0

To: rudedog who wrote (32683)	9/10/1998 9:35:00 PM
From: Windseye	Respond to of 97611

Excellent write-up, Rudedog. This apparently is the true integrative substance behind the Tandom/DEC purchase and integration. In a few years most clients won't know and won't care whether what kind of OS is handling their application software. It will be in this environment that CPQ will really shine-- hardware for all levels, all networks, all seamlessly interoperative. Consider sending your piece to JOe Kernan for Stocks to Watch in the AM. Doug

To: rudedog who wrote (32683)	9/10/1998 9:56:00 PM
From: John Koligman	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 97611

Nice post, as usual... Maybe it's due to lack of advertising, but I'm always amazed at how few people are aware of enterprise operations. Most don't know very much about MVS and enterprise level computing, especially in regard to services and reliability. I guess it's hard to relate unless you have been there. Totally different from the PC world. I just hope CPQ/MSFT don't end up like IBM/MSFT.... John

To: rudedog who wrote (32683)	9/11/1998 1:16:00 AM
From: FR1	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 97611

companies who adopt this architecture can write programs which run equally well on either Unix or NT platforms I am sure this is true but I have always wondered how this is done. I mean there are a lot of things that are fundamentally different. NT has its own APIs, many of which are peculiar to NT only, and even things as basic as the directory slashes (/ vs \) are different. How is all this handled? I guess there is some "conversion API" that is called up as a headder and converts Unix resident code to NT and vice versa? Sounds like a monster job. Another question is the future of DEC Unix. It's probably the right thing to work with MSFT but doesn't it put the final nail in the coffin of VMS? Making NT transparent to Unix will just make the inevitable domination by NT come faster. Is CPQ saying the game is over so lets work with MSFT and let VMS die?