The Sparc camp is shy another follower, its second known loss since Opus Systems Inc decided to downplay its Sparcsystems business. After looking closely at the margins it could fetch and the competition it would have to endure from Sun, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands-based AFE Technology Ltd is pulling in its horns and shelving AFE Computers Inc, the commercial US and European Sparc compatibles operation it had intended to launch. Unlike Opus, AFE is also forswearing the commercial value-added market. Reportedly it can’t get the large many-gated graphics chip that Fujitsu Ltd was to fabricate for an AFE graphics accelerator board to work. According to AFE chief Alan Avansl, AFE Technology will continue to supply Sparcettes and embedded Sparc boards into the more specialised industrial market.
