A reader has pointed out to The Register a fundamental flaw with the Sun-AOL deal. AOL uses Tandem's Himalaya servers to deliver all sorts of services to its end users. Sun will sell AOL $500 million of its iron to AOL, a sum approximately equal to 500 of its UE10K boxes. A few years ago, AOL decked Stratus because its equipment did not work as well as it ought to have done. AOL fired Stratus and appointed Tandem. Now that Tandem is part of Compaq, is not there a slightly schizoid feel to the deal? Why doesn't AOL just use Alpha chips? ®