Compaq Computer Corp and Cyrix Corp are close to an agreement that would give Compaq manufacturing rights to Cyrix’s Pentium-classchip, the M1, Infoworld reported. Compaq is said to plan to use the chip in desktop systems and in its low-end server line. Compaq has briefed many of its customers, particularly server customers, on plans for the M1, sources told the paper. Although there is no question of Compaq making the chip itself, it may not want to be dependent on IBM Corp, and the global licence would enable it to choose its own foundry and would also allow it to design its own versions of the chip – SGS-Thomson Microelectronics NV is said to be its current choice for a fabricator to make the chip.
