Why move from MIPS processors to Intels Itanium processor?
(1) Mass production of the Intel’s processors and hence the cost advantage (2) 64-bit architecture (3) Donno if SGI will continue to be around to support the processors for long, their business emphasis is likely to change. (4) Intel being the largest chip-maker will continue to function the way it is now. (5) It provides a preferred customer status to Compaq now because most of HP’s server ranges run on Itanium processors and now NonStop servers also run on Itanium. So Compaq/HP becomes the biggest corporate customer for Intel’s Itanium chip.
