Vying for the lead in high-performance processors

With other major vendors delaying products or contending with corporate cha nge, Sun's Ultrasparc III could have a window of opportunity in the competi tion among high-performance, 64-bit processors. In an interview with Computer, Gary Lauterbach, Ultrasparc III's chief arch itect, describes this processor's key features-its extended pipeline, specu lation mechanisms, two-cycle load latency, and memory system design-and com pares Ultraspare III to its major competitors.