In article <[log in to unmask]>, [log in to unmask]
(aaron t porter) wrote:
>         They are dropping the PowerPC and MIPS ports.  IBM and Apple never
> did the unified hardware thing, and RS6k boxes still sell with AIX on
> them.  The number of companies selling MIPS hardware has dropped, and no
> one in their right mind would try to load NT on a semi-new SGI.  Not too
> hard to understand.  NT on the Alpha with FX!32 is not a bad alternative
> to Intel though...  they need to start marketing some MP desktops.
 
Actually, the CHRP platform (officially named the PowerPC Platform now) is
on its way in a big way. The main holdup was on Apple getting Mac OS ready
for it. There have been some prototypes tested, based on Motorola's Viper
logic board, that show a lot of promise. The nicest gain for most users
(who only run one OS anyway) is in speed, since the bus speed starts at
66MHz and will progress upward from there, reportedly to 183MHz. Combined
with the raw throughput of the PPC and an efficient OS, it should be a
killer platform. The design would have accepted NT, but it was mainly a M$
decision not to let Motorola finish the port. They gave some reason in the
very beginning (which I've not seen repeated since) about it being free
before, but wouldn't be now--though Motorola was picking up most of the
tab, so that doesn't make much sense.
 
While NT has dropped off, the PPCP will still have multiple OS options,
probably with Mac OS, BeOS (apparently still up-and-coming), AIX, Solaris,
Netware, OpenStep (if maintained as a separate OS), Rhapsody/Concert,
Linux, and who-knows-what-else. NT would be nice for multi-OS companies,
but as far as I'm concerned, I could care less if there aren't any M$
products on my computer. :-)
 
Anyway, we should start seeing PPCP boxes in the later summer or early spring.
 
Regards,
Bob
--
Robert E. Williams
Macintosh Developer
Enterprise Software
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http://miavx1.muohio.edu/~williar2/