Good item Scott2

"Meanwhile, China, which will eventually be the largest computer market on earth, will standardize on MIPS processors and Linux, much to the dismay of both Sun and Intel. This bodes well, by the way, for AMD with its new MIPS-based Systems-on-Chip that will be the major component in many of those el cheapo Chinese computers. "

I really can't be sure re this one.

Having been part of IBM/Motorola's effort to bypass Intel with the PowerPC range of processors, I find it hard to believe that anyone attempting it yet again, could succeed when the CHRP (with Taiwanese backing) failed so dismally, and yet the architecture was vastly superior to Intels (PPC handled bi-endian data, had a superior interupt handling arch, was readily scalable to 64+ bits, ran a multi personality OS, etc etc). Who ever tries in China would be isolating themselves no matter how big their potential market (I noted C's other comment "China, which will eventually be the largest computer market on earth" - I concur, first PCs then larger systems).

So my reason for wondering how a mips based chip could taken on the Intel installed & compatible base, is that it would isolate that market & quarantine it to China (perhaps the third world too if price is their only way to participate).

It balance this is a hard one to call but I would call it a lose for Cringley in 2004.

Cheers

Doug