Via – the next CPU giant and EOL is “eol” (PCGH-Retro 05 Aug)

…1996: It was considered the European counterpart to the successful US provider America Online aka AOL: The German Internet access provider Europe Online (EOL), which started in 1994. As was customary at the time, EOL also provided its own online content instead of just acting as a provider for the Internet. However, EOL was not able to reach the targeted number of users and its own offer could not keep up with the rapidly growing Internet. On August 5, 1996, EOL is “end of life” and has to admit “end of line” (two English acronyms for which “EOL” also stands), ie the end of communication: Europe Online files for bankruptcy.

… 1999: Via Technologies is slowly becoming a serious competitor for Intel and AMD: The manufacturer from Taiwan, which has become known above all for its mainboard chipsets, is planning a major entry into the processor market. Via underlined these ambitions just a few weeks ago with the purchase of the CPU developer Cyrix – and on August 5, 1999 the second blow follows: Via now also takes over the Centaur development team from IDT, which has made a name for itself with its inexpensive Winchip processors made. It had been known for a long time that IDT wanted to separate from this team and leave the x86 market, but hardly anyone expected this buyer. With two CPU teams now, Via is already becoming the “next AMD” for many, a processor manufacturer that can pose a threat to Intel – but Via is pursuing other goals.