The industry could this week be treated to a raft of Sparc workstation announcements from Pacific Rim manufacturers using Cupertino, California-based Opus Systems Inc’s instant Sun clone kit which was unveiled on Monday (CI No 1,534). The Opuskit combines LSI Logic’s Sparc chip set with SunOS software and all the accoutrements needed to get the prospective Sun Microsystems Sparcstation-compatible builder on the road. Opus is also offering complete Sparc boxes for OEM customers, and a Sparc board for turning personal computers into Unix workstations. In particular there are understood to be four personal computer manufacturers that have been working with the Opus technology for some time and are about to reveal Sparc boxes. The four are thought to be Tatung Co, Goldstar Inc and Hyundai Electronics plus one mystery ticket, and although these companies are planning significant changes in the basic Opus machine at some time in the future, the first systems they will put out will reportedly be plain vanilla Opus issue clones of Sun Microsystems’ Sparcstation 1+, but more expandable than the original and priced under $10,000. Some 11 other companies, perhaps including TriGem, have so far signed up for the standard Opuskit, but Opus and LSI Logic are said to have had promising discussions with as many as 50 separate companies to date. Indeed a source inside Opus said if anybody announces a box using an LSI chip, he’s our customer. Many of the firms are expected to have their kit at the forthcoming Comdex show in Las Vegas and some maybe promising immediate delivery. Anyone can compete on price in what will rapidly become a commodity market, but the key to success will be marketing, and Opus, which will receive royalties on each unit its cloners sell, has also set up a commercial unit to cultivate OEM and distribution channels for its clients.
