Wild Speculation about Itanic

[Guest]

This thought has no basis in the real worl but wanted to see what some other people thought. Does anyone else think that Microsoft might have played a role in the sinking of the Itanic? I know Intel has it's problems... but they really botched it on this one. The Itanium sounded great when I first heard about it (albeit well out of my price range) and perhaps it still might be, but it's arrival in March is a loooooooong long time over due. I remember reading about it almost a year ago (or perhaps over a year ago... so long ago I can't remember) and thinking that it was pretty interesting that it was set to debue almost a year ahead of a 64bit windows operating system. "How great" I thought this might give a chance to other OS's, like Linux and BeOs who I believe are/were already ready for a 64bit architechure, to get a hold on this market before Microsoft. Looking back... would Microsoft let this happen?! Microsoft practically exists today because of intel. Sure they make some software for the Mac and AMD now does a decent job of supplying Windows to people, but when I think Microsoft I think Intel. I can't imagine that a 32bit architechure will remain for many more years to come. Although it has become questionable in the recent past whether Intel will continue to be the leader of desktop processors and a trailblazer into the futre, they have been in the past (and for quite some time). Surely the Itanium will not be a desktop processor (at least for more than a handful), but, despite AMD's efforts with the Hammer, the Itanium could/could have paved the way for future mainstream 64bit processors and Microsoft would have missed out on an OS for it... and possibly not being able to compete once another was established well into the future.

Paranoia? Excuses for Intel? Maybe?
Long, full of spelling errors an typos... definately... lazy


DeSilentio

 

[Guest]

Oh gee..when was the first time I heard about that magical processor called Merced (aka Itanic)? I think it was about 3 or 4 years ago one of my high school buddy brought it up at lunch time...wow! 900Mhz and 1Ghz at 1999, instruction level parellelism and 64bit...sweeeeet...,so I thought (AMD? what AMD? they are FINISHED!). And I'm not really sure if I could ever save up enough money to buy that mad mad 300Mhz PII I really wanted The next day I read about Intel demoing a super-cooled 1Ghz Pentium Pro.

It's now almost 2001. Itanic is barely sampling at 800Mhz, PIII can't go beyond 1Ghz and AMD is doing better than ever =/

 

[Hit]

I believe it was IBM that made Microsoft in the beginning; Intel just took the ball and ran with it.

This is my first post to the hardware community here at Tom's. I hope I can learn a lot from all of you.

DeSilentio I would like to thank you for presenting a unique speculation. I find it refreshing. I enjoy making speculations about the computer world, it may be politically incorrect at times but it keeps the topic interesting.

I remember reading about the itanic long ago as well, and I have always been curious as to why it was taking soooooo long to move to a 64bit architecture. My best logical conclusion would have to be the software transition. The transition would be much more difficult now then the 32bit transition was at the advent of Windows. As a consumer I can only see part of the picture, but I would like to contribute the following speculation- The itanic was to be Intel's answer to the Sun Spark 64bit system. Intel discovered that their solution may not compete in the Sun dominated market, so they have decided to dip their toe in the water to see how HOT it is. Microsoft seems to have no demand for the benefit of 64bit software from their customers, thus slowing any consumer market transition. I feel that Intel was not after the consumer market with the itanic rather they wanted a piece of Sun's pie.

It is my opinion that new hardware, such as the itanic, cannot push a technology transition as well as software can. However, the AMD Hammer has the potential to introduce a new 64bit technology to consumers while improving on the old 32bit architecture. If AMD is successful in opening the 64bit world to consumers before Wintel then Microsoft will have to pick sides or be left behind. As far as I know the itanic is sampling to select Intel customers and the consumer market may never see it.

And that's how I see it.