Although IBM Corp is expected to pep the performance one of its star performers, the RS/6000 division’s SP parallel system next week, there’s scant evidence the behemoth has been able to capitalize on perhaps one of its greatest publicity triumphs, the recent victory of the SP-based Deep Blue computer over the carbon units’ chess champ Garry Kasparov. Deep Blue got acres of coverage and hours of airtime, but despite the potential opportunities by the effective overnight creation of a brand, IBM’s proven can’t turn on a dime. Despite noises for the last eighteen months or so that a stream of specialist chip, software and even consumer products would likely emanate from Deep Blue technology, there’s nothing to show yet. Part of the problem may be that SP’s star is hidden within the under-achieving RS/6000 division.
