Highly-place sources within the Advanced Computing Environment Consortium claim that Digital Equipment Corp is taking a close interest in Compaq Computer Corp – not with an all-out purchase in mind, but with a collaboration that would go further than a strategic alliance. Such a move would give Compaq the direct sales arm that it needs to break into the high-end server market. It would also rationalise things in the ACE Consortium, currently racked with schisms. Something is set to be sorted out by the end of the year. Compaq is due to revamp the high-end servers in its product lines, as the SystemPros are beginning to get a little long in the tooth. Announcements of both high-end machines and a portable are expected at the NetWorld show next week ahead of Comdex (where Compaq is not exhibiting).
