“A version of Microsoft Windows for Intel’s upcoming high-end
Itanium chip won’t be available when the chip arrives, but rival
operating system Linux will.”
“Itanium is scheduled to ship in the first half of 2001, but a
new version of Windows tailored for the chip won’t arrive until the
second half, Intel and Microsoft representatives said. Meanwhile,
compatible production versions of Linux from Red Hat, Turbolinux
and Caldera Systems are scheduled to debut at the same time as the
chip itself, the Linux companies said.”
“The implications for corporate reputations are probably greater
than the financial effects of the Windows lag, however. Itanium,
its operating systems, and applications such as databases all are
considered evaluation versions not yet ready for production
use.”
“Maybe from a marketing standpoint it sounds very good to say
(Microsoft has) the same functions as the big boys. Except not too
many people are really going to be able to use it,” said Robert
Frances Group analyst Cal Braunstein. Corporate customers already
are having a difficult time justifying the cost of moving to
Windows 2000, a minor step compared with the switch to a totally
new chip.”