Motorola's Future

It is rumored that Motorola is placing a greater emphasis on industrial design in the next line of StarMaxes. Is this true?

We are trying to make the typical user upgrade items (memory, CPU, PCI cards) easier to reach than in our current wintel-style LPX chassis, without adding a lot of cost to the chassis. Apple has had several examples of really easy to use chassis, that are really expensive. Our current chassis meets our cost targets for a sub-$2000 machine but is not as easy to upgrade as we would like.

Does Motorola plan to release CHRP/PPCP-based MacOS-Compatibles in the near future?

Absolutely. We see PPCP as vital to the Mac-compatible market, as it allows greater flexibilty in the hardware design without affecting software compatibilty. This allows for performance and functional improvements.

Are there any plans for multiple-processor CHRP/PPCP-based systems?

One of the requirements for a multi-processor system is a good in-line level 2 cache. All of our current caches are look-aside, which is fine for single-processor systems. For multi-processors, you need in-line caches, so that each processor can access its own cache at the same time. Many in-line caches for PowerPC have been talked about, but none have come to market yet. (Some system vendors have an in-line cache, but it is not for sale as a component). Without this, each processor spends most of its time waiting for the other processor to get off the bus.

Existing multi-processor Mac OS systems are master-slave architechtures. They are not true Symmetric Multi-Processor (SMP) systems, where each processor is a peer to the other and both can run any code. In the current master-slave systems, you really need a multi-processor-aware application to get any speedup. In an SMP system, the applications don't care.

Another requirement for an SMP machine is a large (up to 1 GB) fast DRAM array. The folks who want this class of machine are the serious graphics-arts types, who have massive Photoshop or Quark files to edit. So it really should be SDRAM at 80+ MHz, but there are some serious signal integrity issues to solve for that much RAM at that speed.

In PPCP, the hardware and the OS can support SMP. So, we would like to do one, but it won't be at MacWorld this year.

What about laptop MacOS-Compatibles?

This is one area that Apple has consistently refused to license. If you look at their prices versus wintel laptop prices, you might understand why. CHRP/PPCP could make it easier to do. Here in Tempe, Arizona, we have no experience with portable/battery-powered systems. But there are many people who do have that kind of experience, who no longer work for a company that builds Mac OS laptops. . . .

Sales & Marketing

How does Motorola perceive the overall health of the MacOS-Compatible market compared to six months ago?

Well, I can't speak for Motorola, but personally, I think it is still heathy. We have reached an agreement with Apple for the Mac OS licensing for the future, including PPRP (formerly CHRP) systems. This is one that gives Apple additional revenue to fund ongoing OS development but does not price us out of the market.

I think that we now have a more realistic estimate of our ability to expand that market, as opposed to the unbridled optimism that we had originally. I just wish we (Mac OS, in general) could have more visibility. You might be surprised at the number of commercials made on Mac OS systems, for example. I'm told that the Jeep commercial with the folks throwing the Frisbee was done on a Mac, as was a series of commercials for "another computer vendor" that feature wizzy graphics of the inside of a computer.

One of the reasons that the Mac-compatible vendors are so important is that it improves the perception of the Mac OS as stable and having long-term support. Part of what has happened to Apple is self-fulfilling prophecies; i.e., "As a user, I'm afraid they might not be successful, so I won't buy their machines", which makes them unsuccessful. User confidence is critical, and I think the other vendors (and Motorola, in particular) help restore that.

I agree that the MacOS, and the PowerPC processor, needs more exposure. How does Motorola hope to help this situation improve?

Well, again, I'm not an official Motorola spokesperson. I'm not really high enough in the company to address this.

Personally, I think that more public awareness of where Mac OS is used would help. (For instance, I just read that Windows Magazine is published on a Mac!) And StarMax.Net lists several testimonials from former wintel users who are amazed at how quick and easy it is to setup and use Mac OS. Comments like "I set up the machine, loaded software, got on the net and ftp'd files in a couple of hours. It took days to do all that on my wintel machine!"

For MacOS, I think the major problem is keeping the software developers. I understand that Apple has not always been good at that. It may be a great box, but if it won't run the programs I want, I'm not likely to buy it. If it does not sell well, the developers abandon it, and the spiral continues.

The PowerPC is doing well in Unix and embedded applications.

About how many StarMaxes have shipped since their introduction? Were sales better or worse than expected?

We shipped about 50,000 units in 4Q96, starting in November. That was better than expected, but some of it was filling the channels. Since then, shipments have remained steady, but they were at a slightly slower pace, reflecting the sales.

Just For Fun

Apple is known for its playful atmosphere. How would you describe life at Motorola?

We are not nearly as "playful" as Apple. I spent two months at Apple to work on this design, so I know first-hand. We are a much larger, much older company. So while the Computer Group of Motorola is smaller than Apple, the Motorola corporate culture is evident. For example, we have never had a company-sponsored beer bash on company property, to celebrate any event. We also don't have employees who juggle on lunch hour. Still, I enjoy working here. I've been here about 10 years.

Juggling?

Yes, there were about five guys practicing juggling. This was during lunch at the main campus in Cupertino. I think they just do this for fun. They had the clubs that look kind of like bowling pins, and they were doing individual and group juggles. No bowling balls or chainsaws or flaming torches, however.

How much are engineers really like Dilbert?

I don't wear a tie. My dog is not plotting to take over the world (at least, not to my knowledge!). Seriously, like all stereotypes, there is a lot of truth, and a lot of exaggeration, in Dilbert. It is my favorite comic.

So, lack of tie does equal greater productivity? I always thought so. :-)

It works for me, but I'm not as casual as some of our software folks, who work in t-shirts and shorts and sandals.

In conclusion, it seems that we can expect faster, more capable, and easier-to-use systems from Motorola in the future. Blankenship also said that I would be "pleased with what they have to show" at MacWorld Expo. I can only speculate on what that means, but I look forward to finding out!

[Update: At MacWorld Expo 1997, Motorola released the innovative Motorola StarMax Pro 6000 series, which unfortunately, due licensing issues, was never shipped.]

Home: Systems: Mac Clones: Motorola: Dale Blankenship Interview (July 1997)

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