HaL Computer Systems Ltd, popularly known as the non-computer computer company, will finally unveil its first machines early in March when it is expected to announce a line of workstations based on its 64-bit PM-1 Sparc. HaL, the Campbell, California outfit founded by RS/6000 designer Andy Heller, who was dismissed before Fujitsu Ltd rescued the company by buying the 56% it did not already own back in November 1993, has been working on its long overdue 64-bit Sparc for more than three years. It was originally seen as being far ahead of its time, but much of any lead it had will have been all but nullified by the time the machines hit the streets. PM-1 is expected to be a 0.5 micron CMOS, 225 SPECint92 part. Beta and independent software vendor de liveries are expected to begin in a few weeks’ time – the company is still working to stabilise the software environment. The workstations will ship later in the year. Clarke Hoyle joined HaL from Unisys Corp at the start of the year as vice-president of hardware marketing to spearhead the workstation campaign.
