Hello Friends:
 
Glenn Cole talks about a fast-moving industry, then notes that an
InterexPress article covering 64-bit MPE on the PA-8000 seemed to be
updated by HP's own Advisor, which Glenn received the same day in the mail.
 
These are two separate issues. HP's Advisor mailing says:
 
>        "Future introductions will include new mid-range servers
>         based on the powerful new PA-8000 processor as well as
>         a high-end Corporate Business Server."
 
That's a dated item. In our April issue of the 3000 NewsWire we reported
from the IPROF conference:
 
"General Manager Harry Sterling told about 150 customers and software
vendors that HP has definite plans to support the PA-8200 processor for HP
3000, as well as a future enhancement to that 64-bit chip. The PA-8000
series is HP's first full 64-bit implementation of its RISC design, as well
as the last generation before the HP/Intel Merced chip sets go into
production."
 
The InterexPress article concerns the arrival of a 64-bit version of MPE/iX
on the PA-8000 chip. HP said they plan to update us on that topic in
January. Here's what we reported in our September NewsWire about 64-bit
MPE/iX:
 
Sterling announced that now that the PA-8000 work is complete, extending
MPE/iX to a 64-bit version will be "under investigation for fiscal 1997
activity." The primary challenge HP is facing is how to make sure all
customers could use such a new MPE/iX, regardless of which HP 3000
RISC-based system they own.
"My biggest concern is not wanting MPE users to be locked out of future
operating system enhancements," Sterling said. "As soon as we roll the OS
to take advantage of 64 bits, it would require you to either stay on the
last 32-bit release forever, or purchase a new hardware upgrade."
 
>Ron? Care to start a trend? ;)
 
We hope we're starting a trend toward publishing the latest HP 3000
information on our new Always Online Web site. Paid subscribers accessed
that latest item Aug. 28 on Always Online, a week before it got mentioned
in print. Paper is great, but electronic access to 3000 news is faster. And
it looks like faster has some real value. As Glenn says, "It's getting so
you need a date/time stamp for the information in a given article." That's
because there's lots happening and being planned for the 3000. We've got a
report on the potential for the PA-8500 and PA-8200 for the 3000 in our
September issue, too.
 
Ron Seybold, Editor In Chief
The 3000 NewsWire
Independent Information to Maximize Your HP3000
http://www.3000newswire.com/newswire
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