Samsung Electronics Co Ltd has signed a wide-ranging OEM agreement with Compaq Computer Corp giving it the right to sell Digital Unix as well as Compaq’s Alpha technologies, including servers and system components. The deal is unlikely to surprise anyone given that Samsung, via its Alpha Processor Inc unit is Compaq’s right-hand partner on Alpha design, development and marketing. Samsung, which has already said it will begin selling systems and technologies using API chips next year, also has rights to the Intel IA-64 version of Digital Unix. While Compaq talked up the agreement, signed in Korea, Samsung didn’t utter a peep. It is also expected to internationalize Digital Unix for its home markets and do some device driver work. We’re still waiting for Compaq to hand down a roadmap and new name for its next-generation version of the operating which will run on Alpha and IA-64. It is currently code-named Bravo Unix. We’ve previously heard TruUnix is the favored nomenclature.
