Hewlett-Packard Co’s Precision Architecture RISC supporters club, PRO, set for announcement today, looks to have nine members. Reports say to count in Prime Computer Inc, Hughes Aircraft Co and another Pacific Rim company, as well as already identified Mitsubishi Electric Corp, Oki Electric Industry Co and Convex Computer Corp among the new recruits. Samsung Electronics Co, Hitachi Ltd and Sequoia Systems Inc have been working with Hewlett-Packard for a couple of years now. Hewlett-Packard seems to be keeping the organisation pretty much under its thumb: it is said its own Jim Bell, director of integrated information management, will be named PRO’s director. The new body has been described in some quarters as like a Japanese kereitsu with interlocking directorates and cross-investments.
