Monday, October 24, 2005

AMD Hands Their Technology Over to China

I don't think this is a good move: AMD, China Ink x86 Agreement.


Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) licensed its AMD x86 microprocessor design technology to the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and Peking University, during a ceremony in Beijing today.
...
The licensing of core x86 AMD Geode processor technology to Peking University via collaboration with MOST is expected to contribute to China's development of low-power and embedded x86 processor technology in the Greater China region.

Note that licensing a processor is much different than selling a chip. They are giving the Chinese the inside workings of advanced processor design and one of the crown jewels of their intellectual property. One has to wonder what AMD is thinking.

In addition, note at the end of the article that AMD is paying a tribute to the "Ministry of Education". It wasn't enough that the company had to hand their technology over to them.

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