Kevin,
I have a feeling that Intel will let IDT make their chip without a lawsuit only because it doesn't compete directly with them and moreso with Cyrix and AMD.
If Intel fails to enforce their current pattents, it could be argued that the pattents are of no value and therefore anyone can use the technology. If Intel does not sue, it is open season on using any foundry to manufacture x86 family processors!
I think, Intel will sue, even with the Federal Investigators on Intel's back about monopolistic practices.
Of course, if the FED's use the "Janet Reno defense", there will be no specific credible evidence that Intel behaves like a monopoly, unless someone can get Andy Grove to say "I am be having like a monopoly when I threatened to put a business at the bottom of the shipping queue". Anything else is not sufficient enough! The fact that as soon as Compaq signed Cyrix and used the MediaGX, Intel gave Packard Bell, a very sweet price on Pentium chips is purely accidental. No quid-pro-quo here Janet!
Bob |
