Date: Fri, 27 Aug 1999 09:20:16 -0400 (EDT) From: Kenny Drobnack <kdrobnac@mission.mvnc.edu> To: Thomas David Rivers <rivers@dignus.com> Cc: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org, freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Intel Merced FreeBSD??? Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.96.990827091229.28748E-100000@mission.mvnc.edu> In-Reply-To: <199908271229.IAA35280@lakes.dignus.com>
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> First - let me point out that FreeBSD already runs on the Alpha, > so there's some 64-bit experience. I knew that already :-) > But - for "Intel to hit it big" - they need Merced to become > the next consumer architecture. Since they are continuing with > plans for the IA32 line (what x86 got renamed to with the > advent of IA64, nee' merced) they are hedging their bets. > I don't believe they are convinced themselves that Merced will > be the answer to their dreams... Also, recall that Intel > launched Merced development when the idea was "bigger/faster > is better." Last year's sudden reversal of that idea > (i.e. Celeron as the answer to the AMD challenge) meant that > bigger was better is not (at this moment) the right answer. > Intel's requisite shift to lower-priced offerings likely > was a contributing cause to all of the Merced slips. Ah... If they are still doing their 64 bit line, well, that changes everything. I was under the impression that they would only be selling the 64 bit chips after those came out, and therefore anyone buying a new computer would have to get a 64 bit one. If 32 bit is still around, I'm sure people will go for the cheaper one, and of course developers are going to write for the one most people have, I think, unless they want to release 2 versions of everything.. Yeah right. Should be interesting to see what happens. > So - what Intel is facing is a chicken-and-egg problem. > They need to sell a lot of these things, but will need Windows > to do that. Microsoft won't bother with a Windows port until > there is a significant market need for it (I point to the > abandoned PPC and Alpha Windows ports as examples.) Hmm. i had completely forgot about PPC NT. Sounds yucky.. > And - let me add - Intel has been down this path before > (the i860) - and didn't see the success it wanted (although > the i860 is popping up in some interesting places now...) Um, which chip was this? I don't remember hearing about it. > I suppose what this "rant" is all about is that I'm not > convinced Merced is the "chip of the future" that we all > need to be worried about. I'm taking a "wait-and-see" > attitude. [Also, since Microsoft has been working > closely with Intel regarding Merced for several years > now, and has yet to do anything `serious' - I believe > they are taking the same "wait-and-see" approach. Likely > while telling Intel otherwise.] Way and see attitude is definitely good. Especially after the PIII. They hype it up, it costs twice as much as the PII and for what? A small performance increase and big brother hanging out on your CPU! I think if Intel doesn't make Merced really good, I'll be very unlikely to buy Intel again. In fact, when I upgraded my girlfriend's computer for her, I popped an AMD K6-2 in there.. > That doesn't mean I think we shouldn't have a FreeBSD port; > I would considering buying a Merced box if there was one > (although, I don't have an Alpha box, so maybe it would > never get past "consider".) Definitely should be a FreeBSD port to Merced! If lots of people do start buying them, and all that runs on them is Linux and NT, FreeBSD will kind of be left behind. Until the port comes out, that is... ----- We are now the Knights who say... "Ekki-Ekki-Ekki-Ekki-PTANG! Zoom-Boing! Z'nourrwringmm!" ---- To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-hackers" in the body of the message
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