🚀 go-pugleaf

ajb8886@ritvax.isc.rit.edu writes:

> I'm pretty sure that Intel is going to lock up their new name as far
> and as tight as they can get away with.  But it'll probably backfire,
> as average joe consumer will be looking at 586 as the next logical
> progression in terms of the weak consumer concept of upward
> compatibility.

Not to beat the subject into the ground, but I've been hearing far too 
many people complaining about intel's decision to rename the P5 to the
Pentium as apposed to the 586.  Basically, there are a few points
that I feel people aren't considering.

One is that most people still refer to all 80x86 CPU based machines
as IBM Compatibles.  Many people will also call a i80486 based machine
an IBM PC.  As an example, we have a room filled with 486s here which
is refered to as the PC lab by everyone that I know of.  Also, these
machines have "Intel Inside" stickers and are no-name clones.

Secondly, most people would be complete idiots to overlook the Pentium
when shopping for computers, since it has been estimated to be 4-5 times
as fast as a 486 (Rumour-wise).  

Third, many companys buy ALOT of computers at one time.  Again,
a company would be stupid to overlook the Pentium because of a name
change.  Also, once the computers are on people's desks, and people
realize that their new computer are MUCH more powerful, I don't think
that they will buy a less powerful computer just because of somehow
being confused over the name.

Fourth, with more intel-based computers being produced, there is
becoming a larger and larger market for such items as CD players,
local bus video, and multimedia sound cards.  Also, the prices on such
things as hard drives and memory are going down, and the quality of
the average printer is increasing to the point that one can regularly
want to print out a file which is a megabyte in size.  What I'm
leading to is that a true object oriented, multitasking operating
system such as OS/2, will make great use out of a CPU as fast as the
Pentium is rumoured to be.  Also, people will become very accustomed
to the speed which Pentium will be putting out and will refuse to
buy a less powerful machine, regardless of the naming convention.

Therefore, with the Pentium increasing performance through the roof,
people will be buying an awful lot of Pentiums.  I don't think the
name will matter much.

Now lets all quit whining about the name change, and spend more time
spreading rumours about this wonderful new CPU.  Didn't someone
mention awhile ago that they had actually SEEN one of them?

I do not work for intel, etc, etc..

Vote for Clinton/Gore :-)
--
David M. Steibel;  Author of the Demacs FAQ;  Internet: steibel@cs.umbc.edu

The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be measured by the way 
in which its animals are treated. - Mahatma Gandhi.