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From: zben@umd5.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.micro,net.arch
Subject: Re: What if IBM Had chosen the 68000? Not what you think
Message-ID: <790@umd5.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 23-Nov-85 05:18:40 EST
Article-I.D.: umd5.790
Posted: Sat Nov 23 05:18:40 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 24-Nov-85 06:38:56 EST
References: <129@intelca.UUCP> <392@aum.UUCP> <225@l5.uucp> <533@scirtp.UUCP> <4467@mordor.UUCP> <544@talcott.UUCP>
Reply-To: zben@umd5.UUCP (Ben Cranston)
Organization: U of Md, CSC, College Park, Md
Lines: 23
Xref: watmath net.micro:12813 net.arch:2154
Summary: Possible non-technical reasons for this decision.

In article <544@talcott.UUCP> lotto@talcott.UUCP (Jerry Lotto) writes:
 
>Who thinks that the 8088 was chosen for it's architecture?
>I would be surprised if that was the main consideration.
>The "task force" that designed the machine was concerned with
>time to market. At that time, I doubt IBM would have seriously
>entertained the possibility of establishing UNIX as a microcomputer
>standard and they did not want to cut the profitability of their
>minicomputer line with smaller compatible systems. The only thing
>to do was to write a new op sys or take a little known existing
>system and promote the heck out of it.

What makes you think technical considerations had *anything* to do with it?
Is our memory so short we forget the big cross-licensing agreement that IBM
and Intel signed ten years ago?  Intel got access to all IBM's magnetic
bubble work (:-) and IBM got access to the 80xx design and masks.  And I
think a hefty piece of Intel too.

The games IBM plays with its suppliers can be played with IBM too.  Much
nicer to have a tame almost-in-house supplier than to have to worry about
Motorola or National Semi changing things out from under you...
-- 
Ben Cranston  ...{seismo!umcp-cs,ihnp4!rlgvax}!cvl!umd5!zben  zben@umd2.ARPA