ejbehr@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu (Eric Behr) (06/12/91)
A Mr. Ken Flamm (sp ?) from Brookings Institution, talking on the radio about the reported Apple/IBM discussions, said that "Apple needs IBM's RISC technology to stay competitive". It sounds strange, since Motorola also makes RISC chips, doesn't it? Not to mention other manufacturers. So, is IBM that much ahead in RISC? or is the whole explanation baloney? Just curious. -- Eric Behr, Illinois State University, Mathematics Department Internet: ejbehr@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu Bitnet: ebehr@ilstu
starta@tosh.UUCP (John Starta) (06/13/91)
ejbehr@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu (Eric Behr) writes: > A Mr. Ken Flamm (sp ?) from Brookings Institution, talking on the radio > about the reported Apple/IBM discussions, said that "Apple needs IBM's RISC > technology to stay competitive". It sounds strange, since Motorola also > makes RISC chips, doesn't it? Not to mention other manufacturers. Yes they do, and it's a fantastic chip! > So, is IBM that much ahead in RISC? or is the whole explanation baloney? > Just curious. I haven't looked at the IBM RISC chip, so I can't comment on how far ahead or behind they are technologically speaking, but according to a WSJ article on the discussions, Motorola is reportedly having difficulties delivering their chips in large quanities. I don't know if this is actually true, or if the WSJ writers where just fishing for an explanation. John -- John A. Starta Internet: tosh!starta@asuvax.eas.asu.edu Chief Technologist UUCP: ...ncar!noao!asuvax!tosh!starta Micro Orchard Co. AOL: AFA John; CompuServe: 71520,3556
stevewi@hpspdra.spd.HP.COM (Steve Witten) (06/15/91)
> So, is IBM that much ahead in RISC? or is the whole explanation baloney? > Just curious. The San Jose Mercury News reported that it would take IBM at least 2 years to modify the RS6000 chipset so that it would be usable by Apple in there systems (not to mention all the legal hassles that would have to be worked out and all the $$$ that would have to change hands!). The SJMN also reported that Apple has been working with Motorola from the very beginning on its RISC chipset (MC880x0) and that the Motorola chipset was "Mac-ready" now... The SJMN speculated that a "future" MacOS could appear on IBM's workstations (I believe it is common knowledge that Apple is working on a portable successor to the MacOS but that it will be some time before this effort sees the light of day). The SF Bay Area TV news reported that the talks were very preliminary and were aimed primarily at network interoperability. While the talks may be sincere, the hype that was made of them to the press (as evidenced by the Apple spokesman's remarks in the SJMN) was definitely spin aimed at the controlling the damage that the recent layoff announcement (despite staggering sales figures for the new Macs) has done to Apple's public image. My opinions only... not my employer's. =============================================================================== Steve Witten stevewi%hpspdra@hplabs.hp.com Intelligent Networks Operation ...!hplabs!hpspdra!stevewi Hewlett-Packard Co. stevewi@hpspdra.spd.hp.com