Why then is Sun, of all companies, selling cheap Linux/x86 boxen instead of cheap Linux/Sparc boxen? Why isn't Sun fostering cheap imitations so that Sparc will be the commodity chip?
Why is China's dragon processor based off of the (AFAIK) non-free Alpha proc instead of the freely-available Sparc standard? They're not really bound by these two x86 constraints. -Jon D. --- "Tucker, David" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Installed user base and backwards compatibility. > That's the only reason > people put up with the arcane PC/X86 architecture. > Other industries that > are not a bound by these concerns, often see the X86 > as overpriced, > inefficient and power hungry. You won't find many > cable set-top boxes with > an X86 processor. (Just as you wont find may > running a Micro$oft OS) > > Dave > > -----Original Message----- > From: Jon D. [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Friday, February 21, 2003 11:42 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [uug] Industry standards processor > > > I just read this good article "Will the real chip > standard please stand up?" [1] > In a nutshell it states that Intel would have > everyone > believe that x86 is /the/ industry standards chip, > but > the author argues that, while it's the pervasive > commodity, it's quite proprietary. He goes on to > say > that the Sparc architecture is a free standard > according to IEEE (IEEE 1754-1994). There are 32 > bit > and 64 bit standards available. My favorite line: > "Theoretically, you could download any of the specs, > build a chip, put it in a box, and sell it as a > system > without paying anyone a dime." > > This begs the question, why aren't there more chip > makers building off this excellent standard? > Any other thoughts in the uug about this topic? > > -Jon D. > > > [1] > http://techupdate.zdnet.com/techupdate/stories/main/0,14179,2911230,00.html > > > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > Yahoo! Tax Center - forms, calculators, tips, more > http://taxes.yahoo.com/ > > ____________________ > BYU Unix Users Group > http://uug.byu.edu/ > ___________________________________________________________________ > List Info: > http://phantom.byu.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/uug-list > > ____________________ > BYU Unix Users Group > http://uug.byu.edu/ > ___________________________________________________________________ > List Info: http://phantom.byu.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/uug-list __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Tax Center - forms, calculators, tips, more http://taxes.yahoo.com/ ____________________ BYU Unix Users Group http://uug.byu.edu/ ___________________________________________________________________ List Info: http://phantom.byu.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/uug-list
