Microsoft and Intel Demonstrate Technical Workstation Segment Penetration
SEATTLE, March 6, 1998 — Over the past 12 months, a dramatic shift has occurred in the technical workstation segment, with systems based on the Intel Architecture and the Microsoft® Windows NT® operating system producing record-breaking sales volumes, while proprietary workstation sales declined sharply. More than 300 leading workstation application developers, system manufacturers and users participating in this reborn industry are gathered in Seattle today for the Workstation Leadership Forum, hosted by Intel Corp. and Microsoft Corp. Keynoting the two-day event are Microsoft Chairman and CEO Bill Gates and Intel President Craig Barrett.
Joining keynote speakers Gates and Barrett are top technical application vendors Dassault Systems, Infinity, Landmark Graphics Corp., Mental Images, Parametric Technology Corp., Structural Dynamics Research Co., SolidWorks Corp., Synopsys Inc. and many others. The forum will focus on vendors’ commitment to the Intel Architecture and Windows NT workstation platform.
“There has been a tremendous shift in the workstation environment in the past year,” Gates said. “UNIX traditionally commanded that environment, but now customers are demanding the simplicity and innovation of Windows NT, the power of the Intel Architecture and the lowest total cost of ownership. As a result, the Intel Architecture and Windows NT platform is rapidly becoming the most compelling choice for all technical workstations.”
“With the raw computing power of the Pentium® II processor, the latest graphics technologies and all the recent advances in Windows NT, users no longer question the technical capabilities of this new workstation platform,” Barrett said. “Major application segments are moving to the Intel Architecture and Windows NT workstations – and that includes the high-end electronic design tools that used to be exclusively found on RISC/UNIX.”
New Programs, Products Announced at the Forum
During the forum, Microsoft and Intel further established their commitment to solutions that ease adoption of the Intel and Windows NT-based platform for developers and customers through the announcement of the Migration Assistance Program (MAP). It is a migration program designed to simplify the move from RISC/UNIX to Intel Architecture and Windows NT environments, making it easy for independent software vendors (ISVs) and customers to protect their investments in systems while embracing new computing technologies. MAP will help ISVs establish a robust environment for application development and optimization for the Intel Architecture and Windows NT platform for both IA-32 and IA-64 processors.
In addition, Intel today announced the new AGP Pro graphics standard, which will deliver up to four times the power of today’s AGP specification as well as improved cooling to meet the demands of advanced graphics on both IA-32 and IA-64 platforms.
Analysts Recognize Ascent of Intel Architecture and Windows NT Workstation
A recent report from International Data Corp. (IDC) confirms the increased adoption rate of Intel Architecture and Windows NT workstations. The report says sales of workstations equipped with Windows NT increased more than 80 percent in 1997; in contrast, UNIX sales declined 7 percent. Shipments of computer workstations with Windows NT and Intel Architecture outsold those with the UNIX operating system for the first time, according to IDC: 1.3 million Intel Architecture and Windows NT workstations were sold compared to 660,000 UNIX units.
Andrew Allison, an industry consultant and editor and publisher of the newsletter Inside the New Computer Industry , said, “The shift from RISC/UNIX to the Intel Architecture and Windows NT environment, which began in 1996, gathered momentum last year. The joint effort by Intel, Microsoft and their leading workstation OEMs to encourage ISVs to develop on the Intel Architecture and Windows NT platform will accelerate this trend. I anticipate significant declines in RISC workstation volume this year as the Intel Architectureand Windows NT applications portfolio and performance of the platform both increase dramatically.”
Industry ISVs and OEMs Migrate to Intel Architecture and Windows NT Workstation
Leading ISVs representing five key industries 3/4 mechanical computer-aided design (MCAD/MDA), electronic design automation (EDA), geoscience and seismic analysis (oil and gas), graphical information systems (GIS), and financial trading and risk analysis 3/4 today announced their intent to support the Intel Architecture and Windows NT workstations. These vendors are demonstrating their solutions in a featured technology showcase held during the forum. Companies include 3Dlabs Inc., Avid Technology Inc., Bridge, CAD.Lab Inc., Dynamic Pictures, Engineering Animation Inc., ESRI Corp., Evans and Sutherland, Infinity, Kuck, Landmark Graphics Corp., Mental Images, Mentor Graphics Corp., Parametric Technology Corp., Reuters, Structural Dynamics Research Co., Softimage Inc., SolidWorks Corp., Synopsys Inc., Unigraphics Solutions and ViewLogic Systems Inc.
Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) also recognize the benefits of the Intel Architecture and Windows NT platform. In the past six months, OEMs have more than doubled the number of machines on which they preinstalled Windows NT Workstation.
Demand for Intel Architecture and Windows NT Surges; Business Integration and TCO Cited
Business integration is one of the key benefits behind the rapid adoption of the Microsoft and Intel platform for technical workstations. The Intel Architecture and Windows NT environment handles diverse user needs – including business productivity, personal productivity and technical applications – in a single integrated desktop. In addition, the Intel Architecture and Windows NT architecture offers features that facilitate the integration of information across the enterprise. For example, Landmark Graphics, a leading supplier of integrated information systems and professional services to the energy industry, recently announced its commitment to Microsoft’s Component Object Model (COM) for dynamic high-performance UNIX and Windows NT interoperability.
Intel, the world’s largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer of personal computer, networking and communications products. Additional information is available at http://www.intel.com/ .
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
Microsoft and Windows NT are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
Pentium is a registered trademark of Intel Corp.
Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
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EDITORS’ NOTE, December 30, 2004
— This page has been revised since original publication.
