The deal between Motorola Inc and Edge Computer Corp, Scottsdale, Arizona manufacturer of high performance systems compatible with the Motorola 68000, first mooted over a year ago, has at last been finalised (CI No 1,004). The deal gives the Edge products the Motorola blessing, and effectively extends the performance span of the 68000 family from 1 to 55 MIPS, while giving Motorola a valuable means of stopping 68000 customers from defecting toother semiconductor manufacturers. The pact covers the 68000 series and Edge’s 2000 series machines, and includes co-operation in product development to ensure compatibility between Edge products and future members of the 68000 family. There will also be joint marketing and and patent cross-licensing. Although Motorola plans to extend the 68000 line further with the forthcoming 68040, it has not yet announced availability schedules for the part, and its own plans for high performance processors are centred firmly on the incompatible 88000 Series RISC – and 68000 customers facing the switch to RISC might equally well opt for products from Motorola’s competitors. A Motorola spokesman said the agreement was the response to a need for 68000 compatible high-end systems from customers seeking mainframe computer performance. The current Edge products are claimed to offer performance of up to 55 MIPS; Olivetti’s 68000 based LSX line is already topped off with Edge products, and Philips is also understood to have signed up with Edge. In addition, Edge is thought to have attracted at least one 68000 real-time systems customer. Heiner Krapp, head of Edge’s European operations in Lausanne, Switzerland, emphasised that the agreement included access to further chips in the 68000 family, including the 68040, so that the Edge products could continue to be positioned at the high end of all forthcoming versions of the 68000 line.
