ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, March 13, 1997 TAG: 9703130063
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-7 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: NEW YORK
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Departing from their drive toward ever-more powerful computers, Intel Corp. and Microsoft Corp. on Wednesday threw their might behind a new breed of ``dumber'' machines that cut corporate computing costs.
Intel, the biggest maker of microprocessor chips, and Microsoft, the No.1 PC software maker, said they have developed a set of common technical standards to help manufacturers build the so-called ``Net PCs.''
The computers, expected to go on sale this summer, are cheaper for businesses to maintain than personal computers, because they would download software via the Internet - instead of requiring each PC's hard-drive to be periodically updated with new software. The computers are pitched as saving thousands of dollars annually for each desktop. Other savings would result from the ability to make repairs and troubleshoot problems remotely.
The aim is to protect against rivals' encroachments. Sun Microsystems Inc., a maker of powerful business machines that is promoting more bare-bones computers to cut corporate computing costs, could steal sales of computers that run on Microsoft operating systems and Intel microprocessor chips.
LENGTH: Short : 32 linesby CNB