I.B.M. jumps into work stations, with both feet; their performance is impressive, but the impact on the bottom line is uncertain

Article Abstract:

IBM introduces nine 'Power Station' and 'Power Server' workstations, the RISC System/6000 family of reduced-instruction-set computers. Prices range from $12,995 to more than $100,000. These prices might seem high compared with prices of traditional microcomputers, but performance of IBM's new products is described as 'breathtaking.' Some models target science and engineering applications; others might be used for stock trading, transaction processing, advanced desktop publishing, mapping, software design or three-dimensional graphic simulations. IBM's machines are the most powerful computers available in their price range, easily rivaling minicomputers. Even critics of IBM say they are impressed, though one industry observer says IBM needs to move further away from mainframes, which are being supplanted in today's markets by small, powerful computers.

RISC based computers, Product Introduction, File Server, RISC, RISC processors, Reduced-instruction-set computers, IBM System/6000 (Workstation)

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I.B.M. Enters work station battle

Article Abstract:

IBM plans to enter the workstation market with the introduction of its RISC System/6000 workstation line. The workstation will reportedly sell for between $18,000 and $19,000 for a base system, above the $10,000 market entry level. The system will be on the cutting edge of workstation performance, executing between 25 and 40 million instructions a second, which according to one source is 20 percent better than the competition. The workstations are expected to have color graphics and to take advantage of superscaler architecture. Analysts say IBM will not just waltz in and take a large chunk of the market. The industry leaders, Sun Microsystems and HP, both have strong products with plenty of software support. Even if IBM is successful, analysts warn that the workstation sales might bite into IBM's low-end mainframe business.

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