> From: Larry Snyder <larrys@lexis-nexis.com>
> Some disjointed thoughts -- some may be useful
>
> Reassurances that linux support won't go the way of NT would probably
> be a good thing too. The recent thread re: hpa and Ted T'so pretty much
> says that there are some top-level developers outside of compaq that
> aren't giving up on it. Compaq's release of an rpm (with free libs) of
> netscape hasn't hurt, either.
A few things that come to my mind:
1. Compaq could consider giving the Linux-Alpha Dist-makers the *right*
to bundle their compilers. Having RedHat, Suse or Debian shipping the
Compaq compilers with the Dists is a good idea. Not too many Alpha
users will actually take advantage of the freely available compilers
otherwise - few even *know* about them.
2. Compaq could put effort behind GCC, to improve codegeneration
on the Alpha. I actually looked into this quite some time ago, but I didn't
get too far, due to lack of time.
3. Fund development of open-source apps. Although you can get
Staroffice for free and Applix cheap, you will most likely not see
a commercial company funding development of Linux-based apps
outside the x86 world. I know that Applix is doing an Alpha version,
but not Staroffice. It is reallt becoming a two-class world out there.
You get Linux on x86 everywhere with cheap/free apps. But far less
for Alphas. This is a bad situation.
What is actually needed ( IMHO ) is a platform like the 164LX running a
21164PC. A cheap but yet fast enough entry-level Alpha, sold through
the very same channels as the PC stuff is. Something like the UP1000,
but priced as agressively as the DS10. I would *love* to see an
implementation of the 21264 with on-chip 128 or 256k L2-Cache like
the Pentium-III, but no expensive external Cache. That beast would free
production from the - rather expensive - Slot-module. True, it would not
be as good as a UP2000/DS20, but still good enough and cheap.
> The other thing to think about is where you publish. The Alphalinux
> platform is a small enough player that perhaps the best initial
> audience would be existing x86 linux users. LJ? /.? ALO is a great
> site, but would be preaching to the choir (maybe not a bad idea).
> The AlphaNT bunch also comes to mind....
Splatter press coverage on Alpha everywere !
Don't even *think* you're able to judge who is reading what mag.
Imagine a UP1000 with 750Mhz 21264, a DDR-GeForce AGP
graphics card, optimized MVI supported GL implementation would
kick ass on Quake framerates. Publish this in an ordinary games mag.
This would spread word of Alpha being *the* superior platform more
than any beowulf cluster ever could.
Note: I am *not* into games at all ( I am too slow :-). But have a look
what people are actually looking for. The *outside world* is sometimes
strange ;-)
> HTH,
> -ls-
Again, just my .02
Sincerely,
Thomas Weyergraf
-- --------------------------------------------- Thomas Weyergraf kirk@colinet.de-- To unsubscribe: send e-mail to axp-list-request@redhat.com with 'unsubscribe' as the subject. Do not send it to axp-list@redhat.com
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