By 2005 all manufacturing of VAX computers had ceased, but old systems remain in widespread use.
Analysts also said they were pleased at an increase in orders for Digital's VAX computers.
The company was helped by a surge of orders for its VAX computers, and its stock soared $11.50 a share, to $130.
But it was difficult to speed up the VAX computers with new chip technology.
The many customers who already use VAX computers are the prime targets for the Alpha strategy.
Rather than buy an existing VAX computer, customers might wait for Alpha computers to arrive late this year.
The project grew in size to a staff of about 250 people and an army of VAX computers.
The new VAX computers will not only give Digital customers more performance for the dollar.
My last boss wanted to do everything on VAX computers because it was all he understood.
The clustered VAX computers accelerate an industry trend toward the combination of several processors in a single computer.
