Bill, Re: "No fan has ever fallen off an AThlon."
There are other effects that can cause overheating in the chip besides the fan spontaneously falling off. Consider what happens when the thermal connectivity compound between the CPU and heat sink expands with age (which I've been told happens frequently). Consider what happens when the heatsink is improperly seated, without properly sealed contact with the CPU (another common occurrence during system setup).
You see, there are many things that tend to happen over the life of a computer, and few of these can be anticipated before they happen. What about earthquakes, which are common on the West Coast? Could an earthquake unseat an already unsteady heat sink connection during use? I think it's possible. How about changes in humidity, areas of high or low air pressure, or drastic changes in ambient temperatures (as can happen if the air conditioning were to fail)?
All these cases are rare, but given the millions of computers in businesses around the world, you can never be too careful, as even rare instances can be fetal to your business if you are unprepared. If these businesses are considering buying an Athlon system, they would be wise to make sure that thermal protections are installed properly. While this may not be a big deal to do, a lot of businesses are happy choosing Intel, who already has a proven thermal protection scheme.
You can't deny that it isn't a big deal, when the people who consider buying these computers don't take anything for granted.
wanna_bmw |
