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From: cgordon@vpnet.chi.il.us (Crash Gordon)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: When will the 8088 die?
Message-ID: <275beaf6-602.2comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc-1@vpnet.chi.il.us>
Date: 4 Dec 90 18:55:06 GMT
References: <90335.202651F0O@psuvm.psu.edu> <1990Dec2.151600.12415@d.cs.okstate
Lines: 25


Tim sez:
>    I've been wondering since the 486 chips are out now, when is intel and
>others going to stop making the 8088?  The 286 is much better...

The 8088 is still alive and kicking in a lot of designs.  Vending machines,
automated monitoring equipment, and numerous behind-the-scenes devices do
very well with 8088s, thank you.

It is true that the 8088-based PC is on the decline, but it will probably 
be around for a long time yet.

>Author: [ONG ENG TENG]
>Please don't say its dead other than it should no longer be sold...
                                      ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

And why shouldn't it?  Sometimes you may need something, and price is the
biggest consideration.  A 286 motherboard may be only $65 more, but the
overall machine price will probably be more than $65 higher.  If (for
instance) you need something to access a database and dial phone numbers for
a telemarketing application, an 8088 with an MDA is the cheapest out.

-----------------------------------------------------
Gordon S. Hlavenka            cgordon@vpnet.chi.il.us
Disclaimer:                Yeah, I said it.  So what?