Intel and HP to unveil IA-64 instructions

Details of the instruction set and guide will be released by both companies at an event in Santa Clara, California, where promotional details of the architecture for areas such as e-commerce, will also be revealed, according to an Intel spokeswoman.

Merced, the first IA-64 chip from the Intel/H-P collaboration is due for shipment in the middle of next year but both Intel and HP will, over the next few months, drum up support for the architecture among server and corporate desktop manufacturers.

Intel has already established a $250m (£152.4m) venture capital kitty called the Intel 64 Fund, aimed at supporting companies developing tools and technology for IA-64-compatible Internet, enterprise and workstation applications. Further marketing is expected over the next few months, with OEM server vendors the primary target, as Intel looks to make an impact against existing 64-bit chips from Compaq and Sun Microsystems.

Details of the IA-64 bit architecture will be posted to the Intel Developer Web site over the couple of days at http://developer.intel.com/design/ia64/index.htm.