Last week, Kubota Graphics Corp abandoned its DEC Alpha and Unix position to pursue volumes sales through a combination of Intel Corp and Microsoft Corp technologies (CI No 2,470). Kubota cited lack of volume sales of its high-end graphics subsystems plus lack of success in penetrating the Silicon Graphics Inc-dominated market. Digital Equipment Corp only learned of Kubota’s intent on Friday July 29. In anticipation, Kubota had already closed down all direct European direct sales of Alpha-based systems. Last week the two were trying to work out some kind of support scheme for existing customers through DEC, which also sells the Kubota graphics technology. Kubota has been trying to keep the bad press to a minimum by talking up its new strategy and not answering questions about its experience with DEC, although both admit continuing losses are the reason for the move. Kubota is the Santa Clara, California-based subsidiary of $7,000m Japanese tractor and farm machinery company Kubota Corp whose decision to branch off into computers some years ago confounded even fellow Japanese. It sold Turbo Channel Alpha workstations fitted with its own graphics subsystems called Denali and Kenai – both with hefty price tags. Silicon Graphics stomped them flat, competitively speaking, sources said. Kubota estimated its installed base last week at 1,000 accelerators. It remains unclear how many boxes that represents, since up to eight boards could fit in a single Alpha, or whether DEC sales are included. Kubota plans to enter the Peripheral Component Interface-based three-dimensional personal computer market selling what it claims is workstation-class graphics indirectly rather than directly and cutting its staff by 123 people worldwide. The new ActionGraphics technology was previewed at the A/E/C show in Washington at the end of June but will not be officially introduced for another month. Kubota’s new line-up includes an unseen Windows NT product that will use the OpenGL component of the upcoming Daytona NT release and will also bring its visual simulation stuff to iAPX-86. It is looking at tags of between $1,000 and $3,000 for the personal computer crowd. The Kubota business is the surviving entity from the failed Ardent Computer Inc-Stellar Computer Corp merger and was seen as one of DEC’s more important design wins for the Alpha RISC. Indeed Kubota’s flight leaves some significant deals in its dust. DEC’s financial predicament precludes it from picking up where Kubota left off without the intervention of a third party, it said. The Maynarder recently cut a deal with high-end graphics specialist San Jose, California-based Megatek Corp but will not have that technology until next year.
