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

To: Kevin K. Spurway who wrote (26900)	12/18/1997 5:39:00 PM
From: Time Traveler	Respond to of 1574522

Kevin, AMD yield problem: This is actually not a problem but a short sight! Allow me to explain. All the semiconductor companies have studied all sorts of manufacturing technics: bumps, shallow trench isolation, more layers of metal, etc. IBM did develop a state of the art process and sold to AMD without demonstrating a capability of production level at PC quantity. Intel chose not to bet on advanced process similar to IBM but settled on sure thing. It is easier to produce a few units to brag to the world about (even getting lucky does count) than producing million of units in which it totally depends on tremendous team work, planning, etc. --- luck is never a parameter. IBM has been doing development at the expense of AMD all along. AMD is not going to fix its yield problem because it is not a problem, however AMD can probably improve it. Another thing looking from the marketing point of view is the long term out look for AMD. Let's say Petz's prayer for AMD to produce 40M+ K6(3d)/7/8/9 for '98 is divinely answered. Intel is not going to sit idle on that one. The Chip War would certainly intensify up to a point to hurt both companies --- AMD is done deal anyway you look at it. Remember Sun Tze's Art of War --- you have to picture yourself in your enemy's point of view. John.