Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!dg!dg-rtp.dg.com!smith
From: annon@null.dev.com
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Is MIPS in Trouble?
Keywords: MIPS, Trouble, DEC
Message-ID: <1098@dg.dg.com>
Date: 31 Oct 90 19:27:50 GMT
Sender: root@dg.dg.com
Reply-To: uunet!root
Lines: 24

The October 29th issue of Electronic News had some interesting
articles:

   o   On page 1 there is a story about DEC backing a new RISC
       processor for VAX/VMS.  DEC plans to move its VAX/VMS 
       base to a new DEC designed RISC chip sometime in 1992.

       This brought up the question, "What happens to MIPS?".
       Dominic LaCava, vice President of Unix-based software and
       Systems said, "DEC has plans for marketing additional
       MIPS-based machines for the next two to three years,
       which is the most any vendor can expect to see out into
       the future."  William Demmer, vice president of VAX/VMS
       systems and servers left open the possibility that DEC
       might end the relationship with MIPS, saying "MIPS is 
       not a big company and may not be able to move as fast
       as we can."

   o   On page 13 there is an article saying that Stardent is
       dropping MIPS in favor of the Intel i860 RISC.

So we find that MIPS has lost one design-in and may not be able to
keep DEC.  Will 1990 be remembered as MIPS's golden moment?  Was this
year be the brief instant when everything looked good for MIPS?