The motives for the slowdown are complex and carry significant implications.
Currently this “qualifying” process for new computers takes months.
But PC manufacturers and Intel may benefit even more than their customers.
Both Intel and Compaq are already moving ahead with plans to decelerate.
Typically, these machines would have been phased out after 12 months.
Other vendors are expected to extend corporate PC life spans as well, sources said.
Chipsets are companion chips to the main processor.
Customers want fewer changesThe slowdown in development stems from large customers' demand for rational stability, said Otellini.
The benefits can be fairly substantial.
The qualification process for a new PC now may last 60 days, said Takemura.
“Y2K has magnified it.”
Effectively, Compaq will have four sets of corporate desktops being sold in the market.
Katmai will also contain features that will make it easy for computer vendors to resist changing their systems.
The Compaq Prosignia PC for small-business customers, released last week, will change monthly.
“It will change on a 30-day basis with whatever the state-of-the-art technology is,” he said.
Currently corporate customers buy the same computer for a year.
Because of continual discounting, the machine gets cheaper as the months roll on.
“They have less of a chance of getting a design win,” he said.
