Intel marginalizes Alpha

Compaq is quietly repositioning its Alpha chip family for midrange to high-end workstations and servers.

Sm@rt Reseller has learned that several resellers of the Alpha-based systems chip have halted sales of related products, citing Alpha's inability to compete effectively with Intel architecture chips.

Enorex Microsystems Inc., a prominent maker of sub-$2,000 NT/Alpha workstations, has halted sales indefinitely. DeskStation Technology Inc. has exited the Alpha workstation and server market. Laments DeskStation president Don Peterson, "I just couldn't make a business case for selling Alpha systems anymore."

Alpha, with 5 percent of the workstation and server market, badly trails Intel which enjoys a 95 percent share. Remaining NT/Alpha clone makers - including Aspen Systems Inc., Carrera Computers Inc. and Polywell Computers Inc. - are branching out into the emerging Linux/Alpha market to supplement sales.

The full story is posted at www.zdnn.com .