And within a few years, DEC bit the dust. "It's a net benefit for both companies," said C.B. The rest is history: Apple went on to do quite well! Analysts said it was a "face-saving" agreement that will benefit both companies. Alpha was a 64-bit RISC architecture that DEC developed as the successor to its VAX platform. At it's introduction in 1992, the DEC Alpha 21064 was the fastest microprocessor available, running at an impressive 150 MHz. The DEC 21064 chip measured 1.39 x 1.68 cm. Under terms of the deal, Intel will get a state-of-the-art semiconductor fabrication facility in Hudson, Massachusetts, as well as development operations in Jerusalem and Austin, Texas, for book value. AMD, short for Advanced Micro Devices, like Intel, produces more than just microprocessors. The dispute with DEC was seen as part of the impetus for the Federal Trade Commission to launch an investigation into Intel. There are two different things: 1) The instruction sets itself 2) The actual processors available for those instruction sets. Intel did however say the that $700 million would be treated as a capital expense and not as a one-time charge on its books. emulates a whole DEC/Compaq/HP Alpha AXP system including the peripherals, is targeted to replace ageing Alpha systems, runs on a modern computer system with Linux or Windows, Some of those infringement claims were broken off into a separate federal suit filed by Intel that same month. Alpha is one of two processor platforms supported by Microsoft Windows NT (the other being Intel’s x86 platform). This was a free download. Alpha 21164 Processor Intel will make an unspecified payment described as "insignificant" to DEC as part of a cross licensing of patents between the two companies. Alas, EV7 was to be the last of this great dynasty. Wired may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. "It's a much more efficient business model for us - one that does not require Digital to continue to make substantial and continued investments in semiconductor process development and manufacturing facilities," DEC chairman Robert B. Palmer said in the teleconference. The DEC Alpha microprocessors were used in a variety of Digital Equipment Corporation’s servers and workstations. DEC launched AltaVista, one of the first ever search engines … Though some speculate that the agreement would quell concerns at the FTC, others said that the investigation is broader than the DEC case and should not stop the commission from proceeding. ... Intel's other option is to let Xeon and their foundry business die, and carry on with lucrative sales of FPGAs and automotive-computing products. Alpha consistently topped the benchmarks throughout the 1990s. In reality, the reordering may be due to either compiler reorderingof instructions, or memory reordering on the processor itself. About Alpha instruction set: Alpha was a RISC architecture which came later than the first wave of RISC architectures. ", The agreement will require government approval. 1995. Lee, an analyst with Sutro & Co. "It's a good compromise solution. "We will benefit from world-class economies of scale and their ability to implement leading-edge semiconductor technologies more rapidly than we can afford to do on our own. The DEC Alpha architecture was designed, according to DEC, for a operational life of 25 years. $31.90. Everyone reading this might wish to be familiar with these terms: CISC (complex instruction set computer). the DEC Alpha 600 is the most suitable machine, performance wise. AlphaVM is a virtual machine that. But, so the story goes, DEC turned them down! The Alpha architecture was sold by Digital Equipment Corporation to Compaq, who later phased it out and sold all Alpha-related intellectual properties to Intel… © 1996-2020 Ziff Davis, LLC. DEC spent much of the late 1990s touting Alpha as a step beyond anything else on the market at the time. Intel, DEC Settle Alpha Chip Dispute Intel Corp. and Digital Equipment Corp. said today that they have reached a 10-year agreement that included the US$700 million sale of … To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. Sun, Silicon Graphics and Acorn Archimedes, all RISC based workstations failed in the market and got steamrolled by intel. Click to expand... Bad analogy. // Intel is committed to respecting human rights and avoiding complicity in human rights abuses. Jonathan Joseph, an analyst with NationsBanc Montgomery Securities thinks the deal will benefit both companies, but doubts any serious long-term commitment to the Alpha chip. 7 posts Brandon Kahler ... Back in the day when all we had from intel that had any muscle was the pentium pro, then a 500MHz Alpha … But that didn't stop DEC faltering and being acquired by Compaq in 1998. DEC said Intel studied the chip, but decided not to go with it. $850.00. The AMD 64 (and its clones) and the IBM PowerPC are the major players, while in the desktop arena as a whole, Intel, AMD, and VIA … DEC has committed to building systems based on Intel's new generation of 64-bit chips. PCMag Digital GroupExtremeTech is among the federally registered trademarks of Ziff Davis, LLC and may not be used by third parties without explicit permission. shipping: + $57.00 shipping . Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Qty 20 DEC Alpha CPU with DEC Alpha 21164-KC processor for parts gold scrap at the best online prices at … RISC processors such as DEC Alpha was also abandoned. Az Alpha architektúrájú mikroprocesszorokat eredetileg a DEC fejlesztette ki és gyártotta. Hi folks, Apologies for the post here, but this is directed to Alpha users. DEC Alpha 21164 Processor Alpha-based systems, which are used primarily for high-performance servers and workstations, can run operating systems such as Windows NT, Digital UNIX, and OpenVMS. The nerds’ favorite microprocessor, an engineer’s delight, and everything a good 64-bit architecture should be. This site may earn affiliate commissions from the links on this page. Intel started a lawsuit against DEC in September of 1997 claiming their 14 patents to be dishonoured while designing Alpha processors. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast. Since the very first day Alpha processors were available, they’ve held the microprocessor speed lead. Some of the EV8 technology may be incorporated into future Intel 64-bit processors, since Compaq licensed Alpha technology to Intel last year – more on that in a bit. Is there no justice? Digital introduced Alpha in 1992 and shipped its first Alpha processor in January 1993. WIRED is where tomorrow is realized. "This is a face-saving way to let the Alpha die," he said. See Intel’s Global Human Rights Principles . Az Alpha, eredeti elnevezésén Alpha AXP, egy 64 bites RISC utasításkészlet-architektúra (ISA) a Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) fejlesztésében, amelyet arra terveztek, hogy felváltsa a 32 bites VAX CISC ISA-t és annak megvalósításait. These microprocessors were most prominently used in a variety of DEC workstations and servers, which eventually formed the basis for almost all of their mid-to-upper-scale li… But Intel refused to expand on the terms of the deal beyond its official statement. "With the addition of a state-of-the-art [facility], new revenue stream, and endorsement of future systems based on Intel's IA-64 family of processors, I think we've reached a very beneficial agreement for Intel," Intel president Craig Barrett said in a conference call with analysts and reporters. REVIVER-ALPHA is a groundbreaking emulation software that replaces 64-bit ALPHA machines transparently, leveraging the performance of 64-bit INTEL servers.. In the weakest memory model, it’s possible to experience all four types of memory reordering I described using a source control analogy in a previous post. DEC released Alpha AXP, which was a 64-bit microprocessor created to solve the overly complicated circuit designs of its VAX computers and to ultimately speed up processing times. Intel fired back with a counterclaim that DEC had misappropriated trade secrets and that it had breached its contract with Intel relating to a joint research project. It was mostly right: x86-64 didn't arrive until the year 2000. It is the essential source of information and ideas that make sense of a world in constant transformation. If you are a hobbyist looking to run OpenVMS, take a look at the VAX emulation available, or buy an inexpensive used Alpha. on this page I will only use the name Itanium; A very brief history of Itanium. ... Vintage Intel History 4004~Pentium Pro CPU Technology Art Wall Decorative Frame. Plus from what I'm seeing, current Intel-based systems can emulate an Alpha-Based system faster than the fastest Alpha. The WIRED conversation illuminates how technology is changing every aspect of our lives—from culture to business, science to design. think PDP or VAX RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer). This is a $700 million deal as far as Intel is concerned." However, most benchmarks or trail files around only mentions performance on NT and uses small models. It emulates the original systems hardware, requiring no change in the original operating systems (OpenVMS, Digital … I am running an Alpha Personal Workstation 500 with NT 4.0 SP6. DEC Alpha 21064 processor, DEC 290A 21064-CA 166MHz Vintage CPU, GOLD. The 21164 and the 21264 (EV6) supplied the core for all the other processors. Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) introduces the pure 64-bit Alpha architecture which was born from the Prism project. Intel’s products and software are intended only to be used in applications that do not cause or contribute to a violation of an internationally recognized human right. Supposedly they were were approached by Apple in the nineties. It was manufactured by DEC using CMOS technology with 0.75 micron photo lithography, had three metal layers, and contained 1.68 million transistors. Apple wanted to use the Alpha CPU in their Macintosh computers - sounds like a sweet deal, right? Some of the EV8 technology may be incorporated into future Intel 64-bit processors, since Compaq licensed Alpha technology to Intel last year – more on that in a bit. DEC has claimed that it approached Intel about a working together on the chip technology in 1990 and later offered to license the Alpha technology to Intel for use in improving the performance of its chips. The alternative is for both companies to enrich the lawyers.". Intel is currently under a broad investigation by the Federal Trade Commission into its business practices, but the company said it expects to win approval for the agreement with DEC. "We've structured this in a way that there is a minimal overlap in the products," said Tom Dunlap, Intel's vice president and general counsel. There have really only been two major generations of Alpha processors despite the plethora of model numbers and product announcements. The company will also serve as a foundry for DEC's 64-bit Alpha processor. 1994 Intel announces plans for the 64-bit IA-64 architecture (jointly developed with Hewlett-Packard) as a successor to its 32-bit IA-32 processors. The first Alpha processor was the EV-4 21064, released at 150MHz in November 1992. However, Digital must license Alpha technology to AMD and Samsung, or other companies. A … The 21364 (EV7) is essentially the same as the ‘264 internally but with a different external system interface. Windows NT 4.0 Workstation running on DEC Alpha systems? At this point I don't know why anyone would want to emulate an Alpha. Sadly, the EV8, which was to be an entirely new internal design, was never finished. It also ended up a dismal commercial failure. ... (due partly to DEC Alpha engineers who moved to AMD when Compaq bought DEC) and the Intel-designed Itanium's poor performance when compared to almost all competitors, and especially to the Itanium 2 processor designed by HP). AMD has more market exposure than those, especially BeOS. The breakthroughs and innovations that we uncover lead to new ways of thinking, new connections, and new industries. Sadly, the Alpha project's roadmap was cut short when the DEC engineering teams were bought out by Intel, and these goals were never quite reached. Intel's recent hiring of Alpha guru Peter Bannon has helped provide a clearer picture as to what the Tanglewood processor will look like.. A old Compaq presentation (.PPT) authored by Bannon gives a nice indication of where Tanglewood's future may lie. "It's a net benefit for both companies," […]. Intel Corp. and Digital Equipment Corp. said today that they have reached a 10-year agreement that included the US$700 million sale of DEC's semiconductor manufacturing operations to Intel, putting a quick end to potentially bruising litigation. "Digital retains full rights to do their Alpha design and Alpha manufacturing if they want, so we think it should pass the government's review.". Intel Pentium II MMX-450 : f77 -O1 -malign-double -malign-loops=4 -malign-jumps=4 -malign-functions=4: 83.44: 0.1407: adi3d-btr-1 : DEC Alpha 2100-5-250 : f77 -fpe0 -O5 : 88.09: 0.1333: adi3d-btr-1 : Sun UltraSPARC 2200 DEC will retain ownership of the Alpha processor and retain the design and support team. shipping: + $8.00 shipping . Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 1/1/20) and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement (updated 1/1/20) and Your California Privacy Rights. In 64-bit desktop computing, the DEC Alpha is being phased out, and HP just ended its Itanium alliance with Intel. The fall of DEC was loud enough. Code-named EVAX, for Extended VAX, each Alpha generation bore the project name EVn. Not entirely happy with MIPS processors, Digital’s engineers set about developing “the RISC to end all RISCs,” in the words of team member Jesse Lipcon. This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. All rights reserved. Developed entirely in-house, Alpha was a replacement for the MIPS processors Digital had been using for a few years, which were, in turn, replacements for the VAX, which had become too complex for its own good. However intel have done a wonderful job and invested a shed load of money, to make there poorly architected CPU run very well (one wonders what could have been done, if all this effort was put into a well architected CPU). There are still massive architectural differences. Alpha was implemented in microprocessors originally developed and fabricatedby DEC. Alpha, originally known as Alpha AXP, is a 64-bit reduced instruction set computing (RISC) instruction set architecture (ISA) developed by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), designed to replace their 32-bit VAX complex instruction set computer (CISC) ISA. ... (Intel or Alpha) and other 32 bit Unix platforms would just *on (usually Pro/E will just crash when it In addition to receiving a $700 million payment from Intel, DEC will benefit from eliminating continuing expenses associated with maintaining and improving its fabrication facility and from the economies of scale that Intel enjoys. When a processor has a weak hardware memory model, we … History. Ad Choices, Intel Corp. and Digital Equipment Corp. said today that they have reached a 10-year agreement that included the US$700 million sale of DEC's semiconductor manufacturing operations to Intel, putting a quick end to potentially bruising litigation. FTC Reaches Agreement with Digital On Alpha Chip Settlement (April 27, 1998) The Federal Trade Commission agreed with Digital Equipment Corp. to approve Intel's and Digital's settlement of patent infringement lawsuits over the high speed, slow sale, 64 bit Alpha chip technology. Last week, an analyst's report of an impending settlement between the two companies placed the value of the agreement at $1.6 billion and speculated half that amount would take the form of discounts to DEC. The solution is based on our product called AlphaVM. Analysts said it was a "face-saving" agreement that will benefit both companies. Any load or store operation can effectively be reordered with any other load or store operation, as long as it would never modify the behavior of a single, isolated thread. DEC ALPHA 21164-FB 400 21-43918-21 very rare Vintage CPU, GOLD. The company in August expanded its counterclaim to include allegations that DEC had infringed on 14 Intel patents. Subscribe Today to get the latest ExtremeTech news delivered right to your inbox. We offer a solution for the virtualization of your DEC/Compaq/HP Alpha AXP systems. But note that Compaq expects to manufacture and ship Alpha chips into 2004, before converting over to IA-64. Intel's Main Competitors AMD . – ctrl-alt-delor Dec 29 '18 at 16:41 Betamax, DEC Alpha, or BeOS were advanced tech, but didn't break into the market. In May, DEC filed the lawsuit in federal court alleging Intel's Pentium line of chips infringed on 10 of DEC's patents. It sued Intel in May of 1997 accusing in infringements upon 10 patents issued for the Alpha architecture while designing Pentium, Pentium Pro and Pentium II processors. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our, How to Observe Today’s South American Total Solar Eclipse, Microsoft Adds 64-bit x86 Emulation to Windows on ARM, ET Deals: Over $800 Off Dell 2020 Vostro 15 7500 Core i7 & Nvidia GTX Laptop, Oculus Rift S for $299, Cyberpunk 2077 Benchmarks Show Even the Fastest GPU in the World Can’t Play at 4K, These Unique Gifts are Perfect for the Gamers in Your Life, 64-Bit CPUs: Alpha, SPARC, MIPS, and POWER. We strongly encourage you to read our updated PRIVACY POLICY and COOKIE POLICY. "We wouldn't comment on any of our large OEMs with terms to price," said Intel spokesman Chuck Mulloy, speaking of DEC. "They will be on an equal footing. There was a 32 bit Intel application emulator and translator available at the old DEC/Compaq site known as FX!32. © 2020 Condé Nast. Windows NT 3.1 was released in 1993 for x86 and within a year, there were versions for MIPS and DEC Alpha – all having multi-processor platforms available as I recall. 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