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Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: crazyoldman who wrote (112079)	5/23/2000 2:37:00 PM
From: crazyoldman	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1571924

Hello All, Re: Tampered Athlons Update. I just got off the phone with a member of the AMD Investigation Unit. She called as a follow up of the three Athlons they have replaced for me. She had many questions for me, mainly about how the Athlons were purchased. I had many questions for here also. I asked why AMD indemnified us, we got stung in the market place-why would AMD care? Her reply was that by doing what they have done it allows them to gain information and form leads to chase this sort of thing down. Have you actually chased down any re-markers? Her answer, "Yes", and there's been equipment confiscated and people placed behind bars already. It goes so far as FBI involvement. To my surprise she added that AMD works closely with ntel, Micro$oft, Adobe...where hardware re-marking is going on there's also software pirating. She added that ntel is having the exact same problem with their Slot 1 processors. She further related when AMD first told ntel of their intention of making a Slot A processor, ntel's response was "well here's the problem you are going to get into with the Slot Processors...". I personally was amazed that the two companies communicated and worked together on this level. Best way to avoid the problem is to buy only from AMD Authorized Dealers. I asked how big is this problem? She was non-committal and wouldn't put a percentage on it. Will the Duron/Tbird/Mustang be subject to the same sort of re-marking? Her reply, "No". When I said I had read something about having read an article last summer where an operation (in Japan) was removing the painted markings on ceramic Intel processors and repainting them at a higher clock frequency she said in those type cases the customer will know that the processor is not what he/she bought, what we are against is customers are buying singleton processors and since they have nothing to compare their processor to, they have no idea they've been taken. The Socketed processors are the only way to go, it's good to see AMD aggressively pursuing this and getting away from the Slot A asap, even if it means a few short term bumps it pays long term dividends. I thought of asking about the possibility of the "demand problem" question posed to me earlier but didn't, I was talking to a representative of the investigation unit, not sales. I can't think of anything else important right now to relate. I was happy to see some sort of follow up from AMD on this matter. My general impression of the person on the other end of the phone: Competent, cordial, a cut above the average, tendencies to display a mind like a "steel trap" at times. Good to know she's on the job! Kindest regards, CrazyMan