Intel anti-trust suit settled

Knish wrote in to let us know that the Intel-FTC suit has already been settled. Details are still very sketchy, but we will post more updates as they are known-all that is currently known is that both sides have submitted motions to withdraw the matter. Apparently, there are still "other issues" to settle, but the main ones are taken care of. Update: 03/08 02:40 by CT : Knish sent us more information on the settlement.

They'll be back

[Zachary Kessin]

I dont think so, AMD et al are chewing into Intel's market share enough that in 2-3 years Intel will not have a monopoly.
--Zachary Kessin

Intel not as bad as MS

[Doug Merritt]

Intel may be anti-competitive in some ways, but I no longer hate them like I hate Microsoft, for a very simple reason:

Microsoft is a monopoly with horrible products. Intel also used to be a monopoly with horrible products, but roughly around the advent of the 486 and/or Pentium, their CPUs became acceptable (e.g. they run Unix/Linux well, now, where the 286 did not ). And that was the point at which I bought a PC for the first time (running Linux).

That doesn't excuse using monopoly market powers in restraint of trade, etc, but it certainly sharply limits the damage done, compared with forcing shoddy goods on the public.

I suppose it's possible that if Microsoft had always gone with as Unix-like a system as possible, ending up with full blown real Unix (whether BSD, Linux, or whatever) around the era of the 80486, then perhaps I wouldn't passionately hate them today.

(And yes, I'm aware of Xenix in Microsoft's past, and no, it wasn't a good excuse for a real Unix...it sucked for no good reason.)

Is anyone surprised?

[Ethan Butterfield]

I'm sure that Intel saw how the DoJ's been dragging Microsoft through the courts, and didn't want to end up the same way.

what?

[prok]

Intel's cpus are acceptable? Excuse me?

Secret Deal

[kmactane]

Intriguing theory... now, do you have any evidence for it, or are you just blowing hot air?

(Or perhaps you meant to put a "maybe" or "what if..." on the front of that statement? :)

wow, a company with respect...

[Flashfyre]

...for the duly elected and nominated officers of the United States of America. A good legal team always negotiates.

Unless your the master hacker, OJ Simpson.