Originally posted by Vlade
But IBM CAN keep up with AMD/Intel. Even if it costs millions of dollars it would be worth it to IBM if they could get even 10% of the processor sales (there making money off 3% aren't they?").
so, while we are at it, why don't all the apple growers make their apples into oranges. then they can get into that market as well.
The simple answer is you just can't make the powerPC x86. it just doesn't work that way. its probably possible to add some kind of translation like transmeta, but they aren't doing a whole lot really, are they. I suppose they could add x86 parts to it, but then the chip would be much larger, much hotter, completely useless for the applications IBM has in mind for it, and more expensive than everything offered by intel and AMD. They'd be crushed.
Now, perhaps you mean why doesn't IBM make x86 chips (that would have nothing to do with the PPC). I don't know what licensing there might be, but aside from that, they'd be entering a market that is totally saturated, with competition already in place by companies with loads of money and who have lots of supplier contracts already in place. Also, the x86 products they would make would not need them for software or support. so thats less money coming in.
Meanwhile, IBM can forgo that market, make stuff that is very well suited to high end servers that yield higher margins, leverage that hardware into their own software and support services (whihc is where they are making a killing nowadays)
a similar anaology would be why doesn't apple make windows machines. they'd proably sell very well, but there is a difference between selling a lot and making money. There is a difference between recognizing your strengths and making money in a niche market, and trying to do everything against stiff competition in a commodity market.
IBm making x86 just doesn't make sense to me. involving the powerPC 9x0 series with x86 makes absolutely no sense to me.
