Intel, Sun to Spar With Microsoft on Enterprise OS for Merced

Deal to help Sun Solaris compete with Microsoft Windows NT.

Intel on Tuesday took a swipe at Microsoft, announcing a broad cross-licensing agreement with Sun Microsystems for microprocessors, systems, and software, and agreeing to help Sun port its Solaris operating system to the upcoming Merced CPU.

%dquotCustomers want to have choices,%dquot said Sunsoft president Jan-Pieter Scheerder, who pointed out that Sun%squots Solaris already runs on Intel%squots other platforms.

Working with Intel while that firm develops Merced will allow Sun to offer Solaris when Merced ships in 1999, Scheerder said.

%dquotOur plan is to be right there with the hardware,%dquot Scheerder said.

The agreement will also help Solaris compete with Microsoft%squots Windows NT operating system, according to Scheerder.

Intel has been developing the 64-bit Merced with Hewlett-Packard, which will offer its version of UNIX for the chip. The agreement with Sun won%squott change Intel%squots relationship with HP, according to John Miner, vice president and general manager of Intel%squots Enterprise Server Group.

In addition, as part of its settlement with Digital Equipment this fall, Intel agreed to help Digital port its UNIX variant to Merced.

Click here for more news from InfoWorld Electric.

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