Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!apple!versatc!mips!mash
From: mash@mips.COM (John Mashey)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: Slandering Intel
Message-ID: <20993@winchester.mips.COM>
Date: 3 Jun 89 22:45:09 GMT
References: <182@mipos3.intel.com> <1989Jun2.163144.5197@utzoo.uucp> <4392@ficc.uu.net>
Reply-To: mash@mips.COM (John Mashey)
Organization: MIPS Computer Systems, Sunnyvale, CA
Lines: 40

In article <4392@ficc.uu.net> peter@ficc.uu.net (Peter da Silva) writes:
>But... isn't the truth an absolute defense against a charge of slander?

>Or is that libel?
- 
>Business: uunet.uu.net!ficc!peter, peter@ficc.uu.net, +1 713 274 5180.

OK, it's really time for this one to stop cold; in my opinion, this is
a new low for comp.arch.  Although I often agree with Henry, the negative
comments on the Intel designers were: a) uncalled-for (OPINION), and
b) untrue (DATA to support this follows)

Data:
	1) I know a fair number of people, who have proven track records
	in this business, whose opinions I respect highly, who know and have
	worked with Intel designers that they believe are very good.
	2) At least one processor that Henry likes [MIPS R2000] was designed
	by a team that included a fair number of [in my opinion, very good]
	people who also worked on the X86s.....
	3) Neither Henry nor Peter is obviously in a position to personally
	evaluate the abilities of Intel or ex-Intel designers; certainly,
	it is fact that neither of them is located anywhere near the several
	places where such designers are usually found.

Opinion:
	1) This doesn't mean I love the X86 architecture.  I don't.
	Even if I thought it was the worst architecture in the world, [I don't]
	it would be foolish to believe that people who worked on it were
	automatically bad.  In my experience, although the best projects
	seldom have many turkeys, even the worst giant turkeys of projects
	usually have some good people.
	In any case, X86s are not remotely near being giant turkeys.
	2) Even if I sometimes disagree with their marketing claims, I'm
	impressed that they make that architecture go as fast
	as it does.  It clearly takes hard work by smart people to do this.
-- 
-john mashey	DISCLAIMER: <generic disclaimer, I speak for me only, etc>
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