AlphaPowered

Last February, I wrote about the demise of PowerPC and MIPS support forWindows NT. I encouraged readers to urge their software vendors to support Alphaand prevent NT from becoming an Intel-only operating system. If NT ranexclusively on Intel, Microsoft could rewrite it in Intel assembly language andfocus on performance. Of course, that development would spell the end of NT'schip portability, and we would lose access to the fastest CPUs for NT.Furthermore, the availability of alternative platforms drives innovation thatwould be lacking in the NT community if Alpha left the scene.

At that time, I encouraged users to support Alpha, but I couldn't find adivision within Digital Equipment that was actively promoting Alpha and NT.Apparently, each division was hoping that another division would get the wordout, and I was wondering whether Alpha was headed towards the fate of PowerPCand MIPS.

Readers were wondering, as well. Several of you wrote me, asking WindowsNT Magazine to take up the Alpha cause. For example, I recently received thefollowing letter from Daniel Monjar, a systems manager from Organon Teknika:

Fortunately, Digital is now addressing Alpha concerns. In June, DigitalSemiconductor, Samsung, and Mitsubishi launched an AlphaPowered brandingcampaign to raise awareness for the platform. The primary emphasis is on theworkstation market because each of these partners measures its success by thenumber of chips sold, but this campaign will also encourage software vendors toport their NT applications to Alpha. The initiative is targeting softwarevendors that can really make a difference in each market segment and includes aWeb site (http://www.alphapowered.com)that lists more than 2500 NT applications that run on Alpha.

One key software vendor is Microsoft. Although Microsoft supports most ofthe BackOffice products on Alpha, significantly fewer workstation products areavailable for Alpha than for Intel. According to Robert Bismoth, Microsoft's VPresponsible for the Microsoft and Digital alliance, that situation is about tochange. He claims that by 1998, workstation products such as Office 97 will comeout simultaneously for Intel and Alpha.

I'll believe that claim when I see it.

One action that Microsoft is taking will definitely promote Alpha: debutingthe 64-bit version of NT on Alpha. Microsoft's decision not to wait for Intel's64-bit Merced chip will give Digital Equipment a two-year head start in the64-bit NT market. You can be sure that Intel has no desire to leave 64-bit NTbusiness to Alpha and will push the development of its chip in an effort to winyour business.

In a recent survey of this magazine's readers, we learned that 14 percent ofyou are using Alpha-based NT servers, and 6 percent are using Alpha-basedworkstations. Based on your current purchasing plans, those numbers will grow inthe next 12 months.

That news is good for Alpha, and we're happy to support our readers who useAlpha. So, to answer Daniel Monjar: Yes, we will take on the role of advocatefor users of NT on Alpha. First, let me point you to a long-time Alpha advocate,Aaron Sakovich. His Web site (http://dutlbcz.lr.tudelft.nl/alphant/) tracks theprogress of NT on Alpha and includes information about how to subscribe to theAlphaNT newsgroup and a list dedicated to users of NT on Alpha. In future issuesof Windows NT Magazine, you'll find increased Alpha coverage. Thismonth's Reader to Reader section explores a reader's thoughts on migrating fromthe Mac to NT on Alpha. Next month, our news editor, Mark Joseph Edwards, willreview FX!32. Aaron, Mark, and others will be covering the progress and pitfallsof Alpha in future issues, and we welcome your input.

I've encouraged you to insist that your software vendors offer both Inteland Alpha code. I'll do my part by continuing to provide editorial content forboth platforms.