And grand they are. "By 2001, we want to be the fabless Intel," said Wen-chi Chen, president of Via. "We will offer our own low-cost integrated CPU-core logic-graphics solution in 2000." For now, CPUs will continue to be made by current fab partners such as National Semiconductor.

"In the future, we plan on using Taiwanese fabs such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. [TSMC] and United Microelectronics Corp. [UMC]," said Chen. "Our business model is to use the efficiencies and low cost of the fabless design house-foundry production model in order to compete very effectively in the low-cost PC market."

Securities analysts here have mixed views of Via's move into CPU production. "It's an interesting idea," said one. "They could pull it off."

Others aren't so optimistic. "There is no way TSMC will foundry CPUs for Via until any patent difficulties are resolved," said another foreign analyst. "UMC might ignore the patent problems, but will they be able to do a 0.18-micron, multi-metal-layer CPU process? TSMC probably can do it, though, from a technological viewpoint."

That analyst also questions Via's ability to design CPUs. "Designing an MPU is much harder than designing core logic," said the analyst. "Look, even Advanced Micro Devices Inc. can't do it well and they have their own fab and 20 years of experience."

Sticker shock?

Another concern for Via is absorbing U.S. engineers and their much higher salaries. "CPU design engineers cost more," said the analyst.

The layoffs that Via made at Cyrix seem to underscore this potential difficulty. Disgruntled ex-Cyrix employees have said that Via had promised there would be no layoffs, but Via disagrees. "I or anyone at Via or National never said that there would be no layoffs," said Chen. "Further, the laid-off employees were given generous layoff packages."

Whether Via will use a Cyrix or Centaur CPU for its integrated PC-on-a-chip solution is up in the air. "For now we will run both CPU lines and will decide later which is best for an integrated solution," said Chen.

Via seems to have made peace with AMD. "We talked to AMD about our CPU deals several times," said Chen. "We will support their K7 with our chip set products. The K7 is a high-end to middle product, though. Both we and AMD don't see our CPU products as competition for them. We plan to focus on the low-end, entry-level market. AMD is OK with our CPU deals."

However, what Intel will do is another question. "It's really all up to Intel," said one securities analyst.