AMD Subpoenas Skype

I_am_Rambi writes "AMD has issued a subpoena to Skype in the battle of the anti-trust case against Intel. From the article: 'AMD is now focusing on a feature in Skype 2.0 that enables the ability to make 10-person conference calls only with Intel dual-core processors. Users with AMD dual-core chips or single-core chips are restricted to hosting five-person conference calls because only Intel's chips offer the performance necessary to host the 10-way call, according to Skype. [...] Skype's software is using a function called "GetCPUID" to permit 10-way conference calls only when that function detects an Intel dual-core processor on start-up.'"

Do we have evidence that Intel coerced...

[mrhandstand]

Skype into this relationship? Why is this not a perfectly acceptable competitive advantage offered to a partner?

Not trolling...whats the skinny on this issue?

Re:Do we have evidence that Intel coerced...

[Azarael]

IANAL, but I would guess that that is one of the things that AMD is looking to find out with their Subpoena. I think either Intel or Skype would be hard pressed to provide a valid reason why the limit is put in place. Imagine if the publisher a game certified by nVidia decided to limit the maximum resolution possible on ATI cards.

Re:Do we have evidence that Intel coerced...

[Kookus]

Let's say you go down to your local store and buy a bag of Doritos.
Now let's say you go buy a 2 Liter of Coka Cola. Unbeknownst to you, the seasoning in the doritos reacts violently with Coke and produces sulfer, thus making you spew out the contents in your mouth due to the nasty taste.
Now you find out you should have bought Pepsi, since it does not contain any ingredients that would produce that circumstance in the first place!!! So now you are limited to only buying Pepsi...

Then you find out one day that the substance that is put on Doritos was put there intentionally and is unnecessary in preserving, colorizing, texturizing, or adding flavor to the Doritos, in fact if you took that chemical out, nothing would be different...

Still think it's cool?

I'm sure someone else has mentioned this:

[Anonymous Coward]

Is it possible that the code that handles multiple connexions takes advantage of an Intel-only instruction? Or register operation? Mayhaps they've managed to get the Skype code to be stable at ten connexions on the Intel, but not the AMD? More overhead? Hoops to jump through? Unoptimised or unstable machine code on the AMD?

I'd love to see Skype's technical case for the rationale behind this.

It had better be good. IT had better be because they're pushing the limits of the hardware and the investment for optimising it for AMD's processor just isn't worth it economically, or technically.

Re:Not being a programer myself,

[MBCook]

That's basically how VM Ware works on Windows. It runs the code, but traps privileged instructions and handles them it's self (I realize this is a rough description). Using the same methods I don't see why you couldn't trap a CPUID instruction.

That said, I think it would be much easier to just patch the executable to swap the instruction to get CPUID with a load register instruction or some such in it's place. The only question would be if the software checks it's checksum or has some other anti-tampering feature.

Re:The other way round

[kannibal_klown]

I wonder if the reaction would still be the same if it was AMD that was chosen by Skype for the 10-way call feature.

I'm sure Intel would respond in similalr fassion. But the geek-public public wouldn't mind as much, heck some would probably be cheering them on. If a school bully picks fights with kids on a daily basis by kicking them in the nuts, how would you feel if kid #147 kicks hit in the nuts first?

Intel has been throwing its weight around for years now to ensure its dominance. The Dell debacle comes to mind. This is just another example.

Personally I'm dissapointed with Skype more than I'm annoyed at Intel. Though if this was AMD then I'd have mixed feelings on the issue: dissapointed yet chuckling.

iChat can do 10-way audio using a G3

[cuijian]

If Skype really needs extra horsepower for a 10-way audio conference it is impressively lame.

I understand the real time encoding and decoding required for multiperson video is processor intensive but audio streams should be pretty light weight. iChat AV can support 10-way audio conferencing using the now ancient G3 processor. http://www.apple.com/ichat/ [apple.com]

And your point?

[nurb432]

Unless a law is passed and its declared illegal, they have the right to do what they want with their products and their partners.

No law says you have to give non partners the same treatment that you give business partners ( unless you are declared a monopoly, then the rules change )

Amd should be counter sued for brining up a frivolous lawsuit like this because they are jealous.