By Barbara Morgan, 16 September 1999 12:09
NEWS Sun this week announced that it has made available for download its 32-bit microSPARC processor design via the Sun Community Source Licensing (CSL) model. Fadi Azhari, group marketing manager for Sun Microsystems Microelectronics, said: "We have had overwhelming interest in the CSL release of the architecture, with a waiting list of more than 200 who are ready to download the microprocessor design the moment it goes live on the Sun Web site." Sun is offering the complete 32-bit microSPARC IIep synthesisable microprocessor design for downloading at no charge during the initial evaluation and development phase. However, upon execution of a commercial licence agreement, semiconductor vendors will be charged a percentage of the average selling price per chip. Also, any changes or improvements of the microprocessor must be offered back to the CSL community for free. With the microprocessor, Sun wants "to make the SPARC the core for any system on a chip architectures," Azhari stated. The company also wants to make the chip available to smaller companies. Whether Sun's strategy will be successful remains to be seen. Tom Halfhill, analyst for Microdesign Resources, said Sun will try to get smaller companies to use the chip. "It's attractive for a company that doesn't have the up-front money to invest or that wants to put that money elsewhere, but a well-funded company is going to select the best chip for the job," Halfhill said. "They'll definitely get more people to look at it and at least evaluate it."
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