According to Ian Edmonds, vice-president of marketing with combined Ardent Computer Corp and Stellar Computer Inc graphics company Stardent Inc – he previously held the same position with Stellar – the new company will maintain two product streams for the next 12 months, but with closer software integration, particularly on the graphics side. Currently, software companies have to maintain two versions of their software for the two machine families, and software houses such as Swanson Analysis Inc, Houston, Pennsylvania, would like to see a single stream as quickly as possible. A fully integrated product line is unlikely to be ready until 1991, when a new RISC-based machine using the MIPS Computer Systems CPU, and compatible with both existing Ardent and Stellar lines will emerge. Job losses and re-structuring requirements have yet to be assessed – but Stellar currently does little of its own manufacturing, with most done by Texas Instruments and others, with Stellar doing only final assembly and test. Stardent is likely to retain a limited Stellar manufacturing capability in the US, with the rest to be physically shipped over to Kubota in Japan. All existing OEM deals will be kept on, said Edmonds. Ardent has deals with Ohio Imaging Inc, Bedford Heights, Ohio, as well as Kubota, and the agreement signed with Unisys Corp just before news of the merger broke (CI No 1,254). Stellar signed up FPS Computing earlier this year. Ardent is to go ahead with its forthcoming new hardware releases, including low-end Stiletto workstations and new minisupercomputers, which will ship before the end of the year.
