IWETHEY v. 0.3.0 | TODO
1,095 registered users | 0 active users | 0 LpH | Statistics
Login | Create New User
IWETHEY Banner

Welcome to IWETHEY!

New Why would AMD want SPARC?
SPARC is a processor architecture design that Sun (via Sparc International) licenses to others. E.g. [link|http://www.sparc.com/members.html|Fujitsu, TI]. Sun doesn't make chips.

If AMD were interested in SPARC, it could get a license to make the chips at any time.

There may be something to the rumor of taking Sun private, but it seems to me that if the main purpose is to do a reorganization then that could be done without the expense of a buyback.

McNealy needs to do something, but I don't see how SPARC fits into it.

My $0.02.

Cheers,
Scott.
New They resources to keep doing the R&D for it...
Is the single largest expense they have at this point.

AMD, would Want it... to get the licensing revenues from Fujitsu and TI. And to get into a good arrangement for fall back and growth.

Margins are extremely thin, the bigger you are, the more you have. Economy of Scale.
--
[link|mailto:greg@gregfolkert.net|greg],
[link|http://www.iwethey.org/ed_curry|REMEMBER ED CURRY!] @ iwethey
[image|http://www.danasoft.com/vipersig.jpg||||]
New But Sun is going with Opterons...
SPARC seems to be shrinking as an architecture. As you say, processor R&D is very expensive. AMD has a tough enough time battling Intel, I don't think they want to be seen as competing with IBM's POWER architecture too.

I just don't see an upside for AMD. I doubt that Fujitsu and TI pay anywhere near enough upkeep to keep SPARC a viable platform on their own.

But it would certainly be interesting if it came to pass. :-)

Cheers,
Scott.
New In short...
"I see what's in it for you, but what's in it for me?"

Cheers,
Ben
I have come to believe that idealism without discipline is a quick road to disaster, while discipline without idealism is pointless. -- Aaron Ward (my brother)
New I don't have an answer for either of you.
--
[link|mailto:greg@gregfolkert.net|greg],
[link|http://www.iwethey.org/ed_curry|REMEMBER ED CURRY!] @ iwethey
[image|http://www.danasoft.com/vipersig.jpg||||]
     I know this sounds funky... - (folkert) - (7)
         what would they sell without sparc? -NT - (boxley) - (1)
             No, you misunderstand. - (folkert)
         Why would AMD want SPARC? - (Another Scott) - (4)
             They resources to keep doing the R&D for it... - (folkert) - (3)
                 But Sun is going with Opterons... - (Another Scott) - (2)
                     In short... - (ben_tilly) - (1)
                         I don't have an answer for either of you. -NT - (folkert)

Ugh. Too bony for soup.
74 ms