AMD Wants To Know Why Skype Is In Bed With Intel

from the money-or-monopolies dept

It had seemed a bit strange last month when Skype and Intel announced that the VoIP/chat program would have special features when used on a machine with Intel's Core Duo and Pentium D processors. It wasn't exactly clear why a program like Skype would need such processing power, or why it would be a good idea to limit the platforms on which some of their features worked. It would appear that AMD is also curious about this and has now subpoenaed Skype as part of their ongoing anti-trust case against Intel. AMD claims that there's no reason Skype's software shouldn't be fully featured on its own chips and says Intel is using its monopoly position to hinder competition. But what's the reason for Skype/eBay? Reader Simon suggests that that "despite their celebrated number of downloads, perhaps growth isn't what they expected, and they are desperate to claw back some of that huge price tag in the form of Intel marketing dollars." Intel denies that there was any financial incentives at all. Either way, when you find out that a simple chat program needs dual-core chips, it makes you wonder just what is going on under the covers. Programs like that shouldn't be processor hogs, and if they are, then something is definitely wrong.
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  • identicon
    Dudek, 1 Mar 2006 @ 11:30am

    Programs like that shouldn't be processor hogs, an

    ABSOLUTELY

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    mark, 1 Mar 2006 @ 11:37am

    No Subject Given

    Do I hear "processor hog"??? Someone check Bill Gates' portfolio again....

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Beaker, 1 Mar 2006 @ 11:46am

    Skype and Processing Power

    I had read (but unfortunately can no longer find) an article that said Skype may be using any computer that's not behind a firewall as a super-node and routing a lot more than the occasional phone call or message across the CPU.

    There were accusations from users that their CPU was maxing out and crashing their system because of the burden Skype created.

    I don't know if that's true, but it may explain their desire to run on machines with more horse power.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Mica, 1 Mar 2006 @ 11:54am

      Re: Skype and Processing Power

      You guys are way off track.

      Partnering with Intel makes perfect sense. Proper threading in the software will imporove voice quality and system performance. Getting the threading correct goes back to Intel.

      Wouldn't it be nice to be opening mail, running other tasks, etc and not have it impact your VOIP conversation?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 1 Mar 2006 @ 12:45pm

        Re: Skype and Processing Power

        And where is your point suggesting an X2 is somehow less powerful than a Core Duo?

        Trust me, my X2 3800+ @ 2.8ghz can do anything any CoreDuo can ;)

        link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        confused, 1 Mar 2006 @ 3:36pm

        Re: Skype and Processing Power

        But isnt the operating system supposed to handle that in an abstract way so that applications like skype dont need to worry about what the processor or how many threads/cores it has is UNLESS there are custom instructions on that processor put there expressly for improving the performance of specific applications? Intel has done this in the past with special 3D related instructions to try and block out AMD, so why would they not be trying to do it again?Especially when AMD is a bigger threat then ever before.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Brendan, 1 Mar 2006 @ 11:54am

    It's not about the processor, it's about the commu

    I don't think that it makes sense for Skype to partner with Intel, due to their processors; however, it does make sense to partner over communications strategy. Intel already has a big presence, with Centrino, and will only further that presence with their Wimax plans....
    AMD, to the best of my knowledge, really doesn't play in the WiMax/WiFi space.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Ancient, 1 Mar 2006 @ 12:16pm

    Not just Dual Core chips

    When I first read about this, it actually didn't say anything about Pentium Ds or Core Duo chips. Its just any Intel chip. I see in this latest linked article it does talk directly about said dual core chips, but I think thats just the marketing part of the deal. But just having any Intel chip will let you have a 10 person conference call vs only 5 on an AMD chip. Not saying this is right, just saying its not limited to only dual core intel chips.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Brian, 1 Mar 2006 @ 12:31pm

    No Subject Given

    Skype requiring a lot of processing power doesn't automatically make it a hog. VoIP takes a lot of computing power to achieve any sort of voice quality and reliability.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      imfbsbn, 1 Mar 2006 @ 12:41pm

      Re: No Subject Given

      "VoIP takes a lot of computing power..."
      Then how is it that I can have two or three sim. calls w/out issue with an Asterisk server running on an old 1.2Mhz machine with 512 of memory?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    ehrichweiss, 1 Mar 2006 @ 12:44pm

    ever used Skype?!?!?

    I was using Skype back last summer for a while. It was the worst processor hog I've ever seen in my life. From 95% to 0% cpu free once I started the client. Once my credits ran out I dropped them.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    nettechmd, 1 Mar 2006 @ 4:55pm

    AMD Wants To Know Why Skype Is In Bed With Intel

    I have never used Skype but I have used Yahoo voice chat Eyeball ect ect. I understand they are somewhat diferent but I have to wonder what else is Skype running in the background to use so much power. If I need this much power I will use my telephone

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Tommy, 1 Mar 2006 @ 6:05pm

    Hey AMD subpoena me too

    Hey AMD, subpoena me too. I bought an Intel chip, obviously there must be a conspiracy. What is this shit, everytime someone or something happens AMD uses the lawyers. AMD has been using marketing funds just as much in the most unethical ways, but because its a smaller company nobody seems to care. Spare me...

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 1 Mar 2006 @ 6:17pm

      Re: Hey AMD subpoena me too

      Go ahead and try to cite monopolistic actions AMD has taken.

      Worst I can think of is plastering its logo over 64bit capable games -- which still run fine on Intel EM64T-enabled chips.

      Forgive me if I have a soft spot for a company trying to stem the tide of rampant monopolies in this country (they're all around us, some are natural, like water utilities, but most are oligopolys -- just as bad for consumers). "Late stage capitalism" as I've heard it called.

      Look, you should be thanking AMD. Obviously they're only doing it for their own good, but it is upholding the law (that the government for the corporation, by the corporations doesnt really want to) which ultimately lowers costs for you and I.

      Unless by "spare me" you mean "spare me lower prices" or "spare me the intellectual troubles of understanding the economic forces attacking my financial freedom and just let me roll my eyes in blissful ignorance"

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      thecaptain, 2 Mar 2006 @ 5:31am

      Re: Hey AMD subpoena me too

      Shill.

      Or dumbass. Your pick.

      I'd like to hear AMD's unethical deals in the realm of monopoly action.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Interested Party, 11 Mar 2006 @ 9:18pm

    Clearly intentional to exclude AMD

    Anyone wondering if Skype was intentionally crippled when dealing with non-Intel dual cores, this should pretty much clear it up! :)

    http://www.konglish.org/skype.html

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    amir, 5 Apr 2006 @ 2:23pm

    Call Center Services

    ChatAgents now offers a complete Offshore Call Center solution with fully integrated voice, chat, and email support. Simply forward your inbound calls to our call center, or integrate us with your existing PBX

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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