On Tue, 1 Feb 2000, Thomas W. wrote:
> 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.
Agreed, that would be a big plus, problem is I think they require people
to pay for commercial use?
> 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.
You may not have seen this but API has been working with Cygnus on this,
the fruits of that deal should be out fairly soon.
> 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.
It's difficult for something like StarOffice because Sun now owns it, and
I somehow expect that Alpha isn't on their list of platforms to port to.
However if they were to release the source like they promised several
months ago......
> 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
>
>
> --
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>
Rich Payne
rpayne@alphalinux.org www.alphalinux.org
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