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From: fouts@orville.nas.nasa.gov (Marty Fouts)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Steve Chen resigning (was Re: Cray Research walkout)
Message-ID: <2956@ames.arpa>
Date: Thu, 1-Oct-87 17:26:19 EDT
Article-I.D.: ames.2956
Posted: Thu Oct  1 17:26:19 1987
Date-Received: Mon, 5-Oct-87 07:22:53 EDT
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Reply-To: fouts@orville.nas.nasa.gov.UUCP (Marty Fouts)
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(Mr Chen's last name is spelled with an 'e', not an 'i'.)

The Wall Street Journal article leads one to believe that Steve Chen
wanted to start with "sand" rather than chips, but this isn't even
that uncommon at CRI.  Seymour Cray himself started with "sand" on at
least three machines: The Cray 1, the Cray 2, and the Cray 3, which is
said to be a GaAs machine.

Steve Chen has been willing to start with a previous design in the
past. As mentioned in the Cray press release, Chen is the principle
architect of the X-MP which was a follow on to the Cray 1, and of the
Y-MP, which will be the succesor to the Y-MP.

According to a Cray press release, Chen's project was taking more
money than Cray was willing to pay.  This is not an unusuall business
decision.  Ask Dr. Amdahl why he left IBM sometime.

I would be surprised if Cray and Chen stay on too good terms if Chen
can find ready funding for his own effort, and I would be suprises if
he has any trouble finding funding.

marty