Replies to post #1511 on Intel Corp (INTC)

[wbmw]

Constantine, Re: the support is there for Hammer, it's AMD that's holding everything up.

This is to be expected. Without the memory controller, Hammer chipsets should be far less complex than previous Athlon chipsets, so 3rd parties should be able to finish their designs more quickly. At least this applies to uniprocessor systems; I think multiprocessor chipsets are going to be very difficult to design, given AMD's implementation. This concept probably sounded like a great idea from AMD's perspective, since they must have figured that taking complexity out of the hands of 3rd parties would enable quicker infrastructure. Instead, AMD underestimated their own difficulties in creating a product with an integrated memory controller. Now the pressure is on AMD to deliver products, while their 3rd party partners are patiently waiting.

wbmw

[Nitt]

re;"There are tons of Hammer boards waiting for CPUS. These boards have the latest feature sets on them unlike the Intel MBS for the P4. Of course these boards are not available for purchase yet but they were due in Q4/02, Q1/03 last time I looked. So, the support is there for Hammer, it’s AMD that's holding everything up."


It easy to put out a flier on your new mother board, or even make couple... now they need to get all the pieces together (hardware, software, bios, etc) and start debugging. When does this part happen, before or after AMD claims to be shipping production? How long are the "supporter" going to put the needed resources into supporting this product?

If this product is going to be "released" in Q1, then you can assume that volume capability happens at the start of Q3 at the earliest. I can't imagine what will compel someone to buy a Hammer system with 32bit XP on it... and no, I don't believe much if any of the 64bit SW will be ready to ship as production, and if it does you will be hard pressed to see an advantage over the existing 32bit sw. Yes there will be the AMD diehards and general techie diehards who will plunk down the bucks to buy a system… this does not create the 20-30Mu businesses AMD needs to survive. I think most buyers safe and see what happens to hammer. Yes AMD is holding things up, but I've got to believe "supporters" who have other work to do are not investing anything more than paper to this effort right now.

BTW, there is a broad choice of features and function among P4 motherboards. Intel, the OEMs and motherboard suppliers are continuing to spin new one regularly.

Nitt