[Info-vax] Intel junk...Kernel-memory-leaking Intel processor design flaw forces Linux, Windows redesign

[Alan Browne]

On 2018-01-06 12:01, DaveFroble wrote:
> Alan Browne wrote:
>> On 2018-01-05 18:01, Pabst Blue Ribbon wrote:
>>> Alan Browne <bitbucket at blackhole.com> wrote:
>>
>>>> In this case the h/w implementation didn't reflect the design goal.
>>>>
>>>> This means intel had very poor design review and abysmal testing of
>>>> security features.
>>>
>>> I doubt it. Yes, it's assumption but I think Intel was aware and gave 
>>> OK to
>>> flawed design because of performance/cost.
>>
>> Possible, but I'd discount a deliberate pass.  FDIV was very costly to 
>> intel - this could be much more costly if the class action suits start 
>> flying due to increased computing costs and so on.
>>
> 
> If FDIV is what I remember as the problem in the 386 CPU, then it wasn't 
> so much that the problem was costly, it was more that Intel's reaction 
> to the problem was costly.  They tried to say the problem affected few 
> users and didn't want to replace defective CPUs.  Well, people aren't 
> that stupid.  They saw through Intel's attitude.  That's what hurt Intel 
> the most.

Nearly $500M to resolve.  That was real money back then.  (Nearly $1B in 
today's terms).

In recent news: appears intel's CEO recently sold half of his stock ...

Since this has all broken out, intel stock has fallen and AMD's has 
risen ... no surprise.

Yep, it's not worth it.

> Before that, when an error in the VAX 750 FP unit was discovered, DEC 
> came up with a fix and implemented it.  DEC field service got a bit 
> busy.  DEC's attitude was much different than Intel's, and they were 
> rewarded by customers acknowledging their commitment to excellence.
> 
> Now I may be an aberration, (actually I most likely am), but I still 
> distrust Intel, and use AMD whenever possible.  Not that I feel AMD 
> could stand up to the integrity DEC showed int he past, few could.

I've had at least one AMD machine and don't recall any issues.  But that 
was so Windows ago...  But I don't make buy decisions based on 
components either.  (Full disclosure: moving to Mac was facilitated by 
them moving to intel so I could (and still do) run legacy code in 
virtualization).  Other than that I don't care.  I assume Macs will 
switch to ARM in the next few years.

-- 
“When it is all said and done, there are approximately 94 million
  full-time workers in private industry paying taxes to support 102
  million non-workers and 21 million government workers.
  In what world does this represent a strong job market?”
.Jim Quinn