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AMD Splits, Launches The Foundry Company

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  • AMD Splits, Launches The Foundry Company

    Phoronix: AMD Splits, Launches The Foundry Company

    Since Advanced Micro Devices acquired ATI Technologies back in 2006 they have experienced some financial hardship over this $5 billion USD purchase. In hopes of turning around this situation, AMD has announced this morning they have split themselves from their manufacturing facilities as part of their Asset Smart strategy. AMD combined with Advanced Technology Investment Company, an investment firm from Abu Dhabi, supplying the capital they have formed The Foundry Company...

    Phoronix, Linux Hardware Reviews, Linux hardware benchmarks, Linux server benchmarks, Linux benchmarking, Desktop Linux, Linux performance, Open Source graphics, Linux How To, Ubuntu benchmarks, Ubuntu hardware, Phoronix Test Suite

  • #2
    I don't understand, what is going on. Have AMD given their power to another company in turn for cash?

    Comment


    • #3
      It's either their power or their biggest burden, depending upon who you talk with.

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      • #4
        After reading Wikipedia it all makes sense



        IC production facilities are expensive to build and maintain. Unless
        they can be kept at nearly full utilization, they will become a drain on
        the finances of the company that owns them. The foundry model uses two
        methods to avoid these costs: Fabless companies avoid costs by not
        owning such facilities. Merchant foundries, on the other hand, find work
        from the worldwide pool of fabless companies, and by careful scheduling,
        pricing, and contracting keep their plants at full utilization.
        So I guess we can experence that it will more profitable to produce Intel CPU's than they own =)

        That being said, I will never by an Intel CPU/GPU as long as AMD is around.

        AMD is doing so much good for open source, so I will support them to the end.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Louise View Post
          AMD is doing so much good for open source, so I will support them to the end.
          Which may be sooner than you think, if this doesn't work.

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          • #6
            AMD is doing so much good for open source, so I will support them to the end.
            and Intel is one of open source's enemies?

            Sorry, I'm an AMD fan, too. But sometimes, they make it real damn hard to keep loving them.

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            • #7
              Look guys, they just basically took the weight of the world off their shoulders... I remember from the very start Intel was invested in hardcore... AMD has been a little rough in that area, it's amazing they've come this far... Sure I have a fully AMD rig right now and I'm really feeling sorry for myself, but there was already hope...

              I think now they're going to have much more of an opportunity to interact with us. They're not making hardware anymore, they're designing and implementing it.

              How about we all head on over to the AMD website, and instead of crying about our problems, we congratulate them and welcome them with detailed reports of where the software is going wrong, or where the hardware needs improvement. I've been over there a little bit trying to get the Stream SDK up and running and pushing for the stupid little things (4870x2/Crossfire support in a sensible manner). They listen... Maybe they need to be a bit more interactive about their discussions but there's only so much you can hope for, especially when the industry requires them to keep a veil of secrecy over anything that isn't already on the market.

              I hate to say it, but if everyone just got together and worked together on this one... Oh but we the people of Ameridumb are capitalists! What ever happened to the Open-Hardware community?

              Why isn't there a "foundry" company making hardware designed by the community... Or is there? :P

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Methylene View Post
                What ever happened to the Open-Hardware community?
                Alive and kicking, if somewhat attenuated in some corners by lawsuit threats, NDAs, and lack of interest. See e.g. http://www.opencores.org and more generally http://www.opencollector.org

                Why isn't there a "foundry" company making hardware designed by the community... Or is there? :P
                Because it's expensive to start manufacturing a chip design (reportedly it can easily get into the millions of USD in startup costs for a modern process). Some of these "community" designs (more commonly open designs by generous companies) do get manufactured, but not necessarily sold on the open market. I'm pretty sure OpenRISC falls into this category. I don't think there's some great conspiracy against open designs, it's just that the facts of the industry are somewhat hostile to hobbyist efforts because everything is optimized for high-volume production.

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                • #9
                  I guess I more am thinking some multimillionaire fanatic should step up to the plate . That's how ubuntu came about right? And hey, if you donate right now, you can get yourself a 4870 X2 equivalent video card, fully supported in linux with 0 bugs in wine on ANY supported game!!!!!

                  Okay sorry I'm dreaming...

                  Now go look at this pretty picture of the new, New York, facility...

                  Oh, anyone else seeing that nice glitch near the round front part? I hope this doesn't all mean hardware AND software imperfections!

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