Xref: utzoo comp.arch:11617 comp.misc:7064 Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wuarchive!gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!apple!usc!venera.isi.edu!rod From: rod@venera.isi.edu (Rodney Doyle Van Meter III) Newsgroups: comp.arch,comp.misc Subject: Bad Tidings? Message-ID: <9984@venera.isi.edu> Date: 3 Oct 89 17:44:31 GMT Reply-To: rod@venera.isi.edu (Rodney Doyle Van Meter III) Organization: USC-Information Sciences Institute Lines: 33 Monday was a bad day for many Americans in the computer business. Zenith agreed to sell its computer busniess to Groupe Bull, a leading French hi-tech company, in a deal worth $635 million. No word on how the computer arm itself would be affected, though one person was quoted as saying Zenith made the right move, and in six months probably would not have been able to sell the computer business at all. Cray Research, IBM, and Motorola all announced work force cutbacks. Cray's cutbacks were layoffs of about 400 people (7% of their total workforce), all at its Wisconsin manufacturing plant, because of slowing sales. Motorola is reducing its workforce by about 2.4%, or 2,500, mostly from its U.S.-based communications and semiconductor products operations. Motorola hopes the reduction can be achieved through voluntary severance and attrition, though some layoffs may be necessary. IBM confirmed that it has offered voluntary severance at four locations, and expects 600 to 1,000 workers to accept. It's probably not their last layoff, though it's the third in recent years. Honeywell is selling its 50% stake in HNSX Supercomputers Inc. to its joint venture partner, NEC Corp. The company has made only a few sales, none to U.S. buyers, where pressure to buy American supercomputers is high. How's that for a good day? --Rod