Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, November 8, 1994 TAG: 9411080111
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
It was an announcement anticipated for many weeks by the computer industry.
The new computers will be run by the PowerPC microprocessor, a chip IBM and Apple developed with Motorola Inc. The machines' operating systems - the essential software that runs their basic functions - will continue to be different.
The machines are aimed at allowing International Business Machines Corp. and Apple Computer Inc. to challenge the design now used in the majority of personal computers - an IBM-compatible run by an Intel Corp. microprocessor and Microsoft Corp. software - and to try to regain dominance in the PC industry.
"This is one of those pivotal points, an axiomatic shift, in the industry,'' said Richard Zwetchkenbaum, personal computer analyst at International Data Corp. in Framingham, Mass.
Here are answers to some questions about the new computers:
When will the new PC be available to consumers?
The companies aim to put the systems in stores in 1996 but did not offer a specific date. Companies that write software will get prototypes as soon as next spring.
Will it cost more or less than current PCs?
The PowerPC chip's design, when volume production is reached, is supposed to cost less to make than Intel chips. Executives have not speculated on price, however.
Will other companies make the new PC?
Some big-name companies are lining up, including Toshiba Corp. and Canon Corp. A new PC maker called FirePower has gone into business solely to make clones of the design. Novell Inc., leading maker of PC networking software, said it would prepare its products for the machine.
Will IBM and Apple continue to make separate PCs based on the old designs?
Apple is making a transition to having all of its PCs based on the PowerPC chip and other design elements reached in the IBM agreement. IBM hopes the PowerPC-based computer becomes the next industry standard, but it will continue to sell Intel-based machines in case it doesn't.
What kinds of software can run on this machine?
Any kind of software written for existing PCs can be run on this computer, but the speed and performance depends on which operating system you choose. If you choose IBM's OS-2 operating system, you can run software made for it and Microsoft's Windows and DOS, but you can't run software made for Macintosh operating systems.
If you choose Macintosh's MacOS, you can run all Macintosh software plus Windows and DOS programs, but not as fast as you could if your computer had the Windows system. MacOS can't run programs designed specifically for OS-2.
IBM and Apple plan to sell only their own operating systems with the computers each of them sells. However, if you buy an IBM computer and also want the Apple MacOS operating system software (or vice versa), you can buy the second system separately and install it at the same time.
Will different accessories, such as printers and CD-ROM drives, still be needed for IBM and Apple PCs?
No. Keyboards, trackballs, modems and other accessories will be interchangeable on the future PowerPC machine as well as with existing Intel chip-based PCs.
by CNB