Tannishblog

I’m not much into business news stories, and you’ll not see much on that front here, but I’m elated that AMD is gaining market share against Intel. I love computers; often I say with pride that I understand them more than I understand humans, and it’s true! Early on I jumped on the Advanced Micro Devices bandwagon, doing my part to create a dynamic market, foreseeing a potential for monopoly in Intel very much akin to the slothful market behemoth that Microsoft is still.

Due to the fact that there were no serious competing operating systems out there – there still isn’t – Microsoft was not keen on refining their product and consumers were forced to deal with crappy and overpriced software: Windows 95, anyone? Not to mention MS Office sticker shock! Only as the various Linux mutations grew in support and sophistication did MS finally build an OS that is stable with Windows XP. The need for a stable computer network, one Microsoft couldn’t provide even with NT, forced the software giant to adapt: In my opinion, decades too late. Even Star Office is becoming a real player lately.

Meanwhile Intel, long seeking a monopoly in itself, has consistently been foiled by upstart AMD. This dynamic helped fuel Moore’s Law and enabled engineering feats unanticipated in the brief, turbulent history of micro architecture. Who in 1970 would have dared predict dual-core processors or clock speeds above 3 GHz? All the while, consumers benefited from real competition in the marketplace. Had Microsoft this kind of tooth-and-nail marketing competition… Well, I envision voice activated 3D interfaces, machines that update themselves on the fly, without ever needing rebooting. Who knows what else we could now be working with if Microsoft had to run for its money?

That is why I applaud AMD for sticking it out in a tough, expensive industry. Today and for the past year, virtual centuries in internet time, they have the best product going, beating benchmarks consistently against a giant in terms of infrastructure, fabrication capabilities, and R&D budget. For now and for the near future, that’s where my I place my bets!

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 19th, 2006 at 4:44 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.