Intel coercing customers? I don't believe it!Well, it finally looks as if AMD is going to be doing something about Intel's blatantly illegal coercing of customers. Anyone even vaguely aware of the Intel/AMD relationship probably knows that Intel has (on a number of occasions) used strong-arm tactics in order to maintain their monopoly. Computer trade shows? Feh. Computer trade shows and Intel's respective tactics make me think of that Simpsons episode where Bill Gates "buys out" Homer's CompuGlobalHyperMegaNet business.
The suit, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, identifies 38 companies on three continents that were allegedly coerced by Intel, including large-scale computer makers, small system builders, wholesale distributors, and retailers, according to a statement from AMD, in Sunnyvale, California.
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Another complaint involves the European joint venture Fujitsu Siemens Computers (Holding), which was once a mainstay for AMD's desktop business, with AMD chips powering over 30 percent of Fujitsu Siemens' consumer PCs, according to the complaint. In early 2003, Intel offered Fujitsu Siemens a "special discount" on its Celeron processors. Fujitsu Siemens accepted the offer in exchange for hiding its AMD computers on its Web site and removing references to AMD-powered products from its retail catalog, according to AMD.
Oh the horror and repugnance of these acts! No, but seriously ... it's well-known that Intel likes to pull these kind of stunts. AMD simply has the better product, and they're selling it for less. Rather than being big bullies and shoving their weaksauce Pentium 4 down everyone's throats ... how about they just uhh ... design a good processor?
Actually, they're doing just that. NetBurst is finally being dropped, and they're going all-out Pentium M. I reported on this earlier.
Article Link: AMD Files Antitrust Suit Against Intel
