Intel Corp (INTC)

[Colonel Sanders]

Whilst no doubt the performance of the Opteron in 32bit mode was a major factor in its success, what about the legitimacy/prestige that was given to AMD when Microsoft declared that the 64bit world of x86, was going to begin as an AMD derived standard?

I am amazed that Intel ever allowed that situation to arise, and surely must have come about because of the mistaken belief within Intel, that they could dillydally about defining an 64bit standard for x86, whilst they were trying to move people who wanted 64bits, towards Itanium.

When I think of opportunity cost in respect of Intel's Itanium project, I think of the needless extra credibility they gave to AMD.

Sure AMD has pissed away that credibility now, but it still must have come at a not insignificant cost to Intel.