Working samples of Intel's Merced processor are now unlikely to arrive until Q3 or Q4 of this year, several sources have now confirmed. An engineer at Intel, who declined to be named, says that problems with architectural teams mean that working processors are still difficult to improve. And separate sources at both Compaq and IBM have also confirmed that their companies have still not seen working examples of silicon. Both said that they were being told Q3 and Q4 for working silicon were the likely dates. The IBM source, said however, that Monterey was ready to go for Merced when working and booting silicon finally emerged. ®