Conference 7.286::digital

4267.0. "Window of Opportunity - 64 Bit" by MIMS::SANDERS_J () Fri Nov 10 1995 12:18

    On Wednesday, IBM announced delays in the shipment of the PowerPC
    620 chip for at least six months.  Seems that they are having some
    performance problems with the chip.  This was to be their 64-bit chip.
    
    Last week Sun announced the 64-bit UltraSparc chip, but it has no
    64-bit operating system.
    
    And finally, the Intel/HP P7 64-bit chip is way out on the horizon.
    
    Does Digital have a chance to so dominate the 64-bit arena in the next
    2 years that we will have by 1998 a huge installed 64-bit base that
    will allow Digital/partner sales reps to really make an issue out of
    the newcomers in 1998-2000?
     
    I mean we will have the advantage of:
    
    1. Large base, proven technology
    2. Thousands of applications ported and production tested
    3. FUD - ask customer why they want to buy brand-x 64-bit, which is
       new, when you can have a safe, tried and true, heavyly used 64-bit
       system.
    4. Having developed an in-house knowledge (technical and marketing) of
       64-bit and how to use it
    5. Partnerships out the ying-yang
    6. Testimonials out the ying-yang
    7. and on and on
    
    The stock market says yes (59.75 at 11:56 AM).  I pressume this recent
    run up is due to the IBM PowerPC announcement.  What do you think?
    

Yes, this is a market we should absolutely *own* (along with the NT CAD
market, presuming we get our act together with a low-cost EV5 system
to counter P6/NT.)

    
    You can have a low priced server, the cost is a function of volume and
    technology.
    
    "Low volume == High cost"