Intel is proposing a new form designed specifically for workstation systems. Similar to the AT and ATX form factors designed for desktop computing, WTX will be aimed at highend workstations instead. As with the ATX specs, WTX will be an open standard supported by leading companies such as Compaq, HP, and IBM.

As processing power increases, and multimedia components such as 3D graphics and rendering gets faster, there is a need to fill the gap between a desktop computer and a highend server system. Workstation class systems are typically those by offered by Silicon Graphics (SGI) and Sun MicroSystems. The starting price of these systems is typically $10,000 and above. Because of this high price tag, workstations are out of the range for most people.

Due to the advancements make by Intel and various PC makers, today's highend desktop's performance rivals that of an entry or mid level SGI or Sun workstation. Intel proposed the WTX form factor to advance the PC workstation platform. Due to the high profit margin of the workstation market, Intel wants to help Compaq, HP, and other PC manufacturers penetrate the workstation class PC segment.

The WTX initial specs calls out for the following items:

But because it did not have any L2 cache, the Celeron lags in performance when compared to the AMD K6 or K6-2 or Cyrix M2. Intel launched the Celeron at 266MHz, which they quickly moved to 300Mhz. Even at 300MHz, the Celeron was no match for the lower cost AMD K6-2. Perhaps Intel released the Celeron prematurely, but they had to release a CPU that was price competitive with the AMD/Cyrix processor.

Even before Intel was putting the finishing touches on the Celeron/300, the next generation Celeron with 128K L2 cache was in the works. Intel's initial plan was to release this new Celeron in Q1/1999. But most likely due to intense competition from AMD and Cyrix, Intel will be release their Celeron/333A by the end of Q3 of this year or beginning of Q4. The "A" at the end of the clock speed will allow consumers to differentiate between the cache and non-cache version.

The important thing to note about the 128K L2 cache is it is running at full CPU speed. The L2 cache on Pentium II processors, not including the Xeon, only runs at half the CPU speed. This mean that the performance of a Celeron/333A with 128K L2 cache is almost equivalent to a Pentium II/333 with 512K L2 cache! The speed of the Celeron L2 cache makes up for its lack of size. This will allow Intel to compete at a price point similar to the AMD K6-2 and Cyrix M2. Watch for the sub $1,000 (or even sub $800) market to really heat up this coming Christmas.

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REDMOND (BNN)--World leaders reacted with stunned silence as Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) conducted an underground nuclear test at a secret facility in eastern Washington state. The device, exploded at 9:22 am PDT (1622 GMT/12:22 pm EDT) today, was timed to coincide with talks between Microsoft and the US Department of Justice over possible antitrust action.

"Microsoft is going to defend its right to market its products by any and all necessary means," said Microsoft CEO Bill Gates. "Not that I'm anti-government" he continued, "but there would be few tears shed in the computer industry if Washington were engulfed in a bath of nuclear fire."

Scientists pegged the explosion at around 100 kilotons. "I nearly dropped my latte when I saw the seismometer" explained University of Washington geophysicist Dr. Whoops Blammover, "At first I thought it was Mt. Rainier, and I was thinking, damn, there goes the mountain bike vacation."

In Washington, President Clinton announced the US Government would boycott all Microsoft products indefinitely. Minutes later, the President reversed his decision. "We've tried sanctions since lunchtime, and they don't work," said the President. Instead, the administration will initiate a policy of "constructive engagement" with Microsoft.

Microsoft's Chief Technology Officer Nathan Myrhvold said the test justified Microsoft's recent acquisition of the Hanford Nuclear Reservation from the US Government. Not only did Microsoft acquire "kilograms of weapons grade plutonium" in the deal, said Myrhvold, "but we've finally found a place to dump those millions of unsold copies of Microsoft Bob."

Myrhvold warned users not to replace Microsoft NT products with rival operating systems. "I can neither confirm nor deny the existence of a radioisotope thermoelectric generator inside of every Pentium II microprocessor," said Myrhvold, "but anyone who installs an OS written by a bunch of long-hairs on the Internet is going to get what they deserve."

The existence of an RTG in each Pentium II microprocessor would explain why the microprocessors, made by the Intel Corporation, run so hot. The Intel chips "put out more heat than they draw in electrical power" said Prof. E. E. Thymes of MIT. "This should finally dispell those stories about cold fusion."

Rumors suggest a second weapons development project is underway in California, headed by Microsoft rival Sun Microsystems. "They're doing all of the development work in Java," said one source close to the project. The development of a delivery system is said to be holding up progress. "Write once, bomb anywhere is still a dream at the moment."

Meanwhile, in Cupertino, California, Apple interim-CEO Steve Jobs was rumored to be in discussion with Oracle CEO Larry Ellison about deploying Apple's Newton technology against Microsoft. "Newton was the biggest bomb the Valley has developed in years," said one hardware engineer. "I'd hate to be around when they drop that product a second time."

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In the tradition of the what's hot and what's not list, or Wired's Tired/Wired list...

O F F	O N
Slot 2	Slot M
Celeron/300	Celeron/333A
DVD-ROM	DVD-RAM
Intel Inside(tm)	Powered by AMD

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