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From: stephenk@netcom.com (Stephen Knilans)
Subject: Re: Interested in PowerPC for Linux / FreeBSD / NetBSD?
Message-ID: <stephenkD0vyyn.1GG@netcom.com>
Organization: Netcom Online Communications Services (408-241-9760 login: guest)
References: <3cit0i$mjf@tut.msstate.edu> <3clp1c$q6p@news.iastate.edu> <3cphs0$l6e@ddi2.digital.net>
Date: Fri, 16 Dec 1994 04:25:35 GMT
Lines: 74

In article <3cphs0$l6e@ddi2.digital.net> hisself@digital.net (Jim Wallace) writes:
>Monty H. Brekke (brekke@dopey.me.iastate.edu) wrote:
>
>                         (much stuff deleted)  
>: few months, and was thinking of getting a Pentium. However, I have a
>: serious problem with Intel's current attitude and would really like to
>
>Ah ha, IBM's ploy is working.  I tend to think it is more the media's 
>version of Intel's attitude, rather than Intel's attitude.
>
>BTW, I have NO financial interest in Intel (damn it), I just think that 
>they are getting a raw deal.
>
>                     Jim Wallace
>

Intel has OFFICIALLY said that THEY will determine if the user REALLY needs
a new chip, and will SEE what they can do, even POSSIBLY replacing the chip!

My company has many customers that use different platforms.  They have some
PRETTY complicated routines that are interfaced VIA C to DBL.  THANK GOD
NONE has of yet used a pentium, though one almost did!  Would Intel have 
paid my company for losing MY time while *I* investigated a problem that 
THEY knew about 6 MONTHS ago?  HECK NO, they might not even replace the
chip!  They would figure WHY would a BANK need that precision, because THEY
work with dollars and cents?  

They would probably be ALL too ignorant of the floating point math done 
behind the scenes that requires only about 6-7 divides, but they are in loops
and DEEP in the code!  This code is required for amortizing and WAL calculations!

BTW the errors created could ONLY represent errors in the MILLIONS!  

Computer world, last month, in one back page blurb said "Oh to be Intel
Gleefully watching your rivals TRY to make a pentium chip.  AMD expects
to have it's K5 chip ready by late next year.  Intel however, should
have its 188Mhz pentium shipping by then".  NOW, they have FRONT PAGE
articles talking about the FUROR that has been brought up.  In the 
middle, one wrote of how INTELS failures will draw more suspicion to
cyrix and AMD(the two MAIN competitors).

HUH, THAT'S A LAUGH!  I knew of AMD BEFORE they dealt with INTEL.  They 
were, and ARE, respected for making high quality VLSI chips very fast.
They have, to the best of my knowledge, NEVER had this problem.
They had a better version of the 386/387 out before Intel!

Cyrix was very respected at, get this, making faster and more PRECISE
FPUs!  

WHY, would INTELS problems make me suspicious?  INTEL, THEMSELVES, made
sure that AMD can use NO intel logic!

BTW I know that ANY company can make a mistake.  I know that ANY company 
can have recall problems.  What *I* don't like is that Intel didn't even
disclose this problem until a scientist had ALREADY waisted much of his
time, tracked the bug, and asked Intel about it.  Intels response?  OH,
we knew about that 6 MONTHS ago, and are looking into it!  

My boss spoke of their limited capacity!  That is a bunch of HOGWASH!  
They had a production capacity problem with the 286, and enlisted the
efforts of IBM, AMD, and others.  NOW, however, only IBM is allowed to
make their 486.  Is ANYONE allowed to make their pentium?  I guess not,
since IBM stopped purchasing the pentiums!  

If they DARE to use the complaint "we have limited capacity", you can 
call to their rememberance how they once filled that need, and have since
spent a BUNDLE suing them so they couldn't use the knowledge they gained
LEGALLY!  

Steve
stephenk@netcom.com

BTW, as I stated, my company holds no interest in my opinion.  ALSO, 
the above IS true!