"Intel is evil!"

[Wingznut]

I hear that stated on these forums more than a few times a week. Well, here's just how "evil" Intel really is:

Since Sept 11, Intel and their employees have donated over $3.5 million in cash to help the efforts to recover from that day's tragedy. Outside of money, Intel has spent countless hours and other resources in helping out the NY area.

"Intel's Operation Unity team coordinated efforts within the high-tech industry to help rebuild the computing infrastructure of companies and relief agencies devastated by the recent terrorist attacks.

Intel assembled an organization to provide technical assistance to humanitarian and disaster relief associations and help companies get their businesses up and running again. Some of Intel's other efforts include creating the e-Mail Center for NY Volunteers, central repository of industry support information, listing services available to small- and medium-sized businesses.

Intel also offered office space in the metro NY area and technical support to many of the companies who were displaced by the tragedy to use as temporary homes for keeping their businesses up and running."

Is there any other hi-tech company that has stepped up like Intel has?

And NY is just a piece of the pie. Intel and their employees contribute to the community on a daily basis. The donations to educational outlets, helping needy families... There's always some sort of charitable efforts going on.

 

[glenn1]

Intel isn't evil. Their products are simply priced too high on a price-value level vis a vis with a certain competitor. Apart from that, i have no problem with the company, its products, or the way it generally conducts business.

 

[Adul]

If people are willing to pay, why not.

intel isnt evil.

They do alot of good for the cummunities they are in. Those that say intel is evil should try working there once. You see it quiet differnetly. great company to work for has well.

 

[CTho9305]

<< I hear that stated on these forums more than a few times a week. >>



I didn't look at the poster, and was expecting another one of the posts you referred to

Anyway... here at CMU, we have LOTS of stuff donated by Intel... such as a few computer clusters. Our newspaper reported that we got, or will be getting, an Itanium cluster worth $1.5 million. I would not say Intel is evil.

Now, Intel is apparently getting the basement of our university center for research (or something like that), and a significant percentage of the students is against this (they view it as "selling out")... I think they're wrong - this is definitely a good thing.

That said, a P4 is not for me... the price/performance for the tasks I do is below that of the Athlon. When (not if) that changes, I will have no issues getting an Intel chip.

 

[JellyBaby]

Intel's not evil. However, companies can and do give a lot to charities while simultaneously making poor business decisions. This doesn't make them evil or even contemptible, just "shady". I would have loved for Intel to have not tried to Rambus down our throats. But they did. That wasn't evil, just arrogant and greedy.

Their products on the whole are good, the support is there and they've proven they can do the right thing from time to time (P90 floating point recall, adopting PC-133, etc.). It's just on occassion they give their shareholders far more ear than their customers. Nothing constitutes Pure, Unadulterated Evil though.

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

i dont think intel is evil....but they do some shady stuff, (but so do alot of companies) and who cares if they donate stuff? MS donates tons of money (or bill does at least) and he's still a damn communist freak and MS is still frightningly power hungry.

quit tryin to back up intel just cus you work for them ..........errrr...go buy a p4 or somethin

 

[Noj]

<< Well, here's just how "evil" Intel really is: >>



I agree with your points, but why would you even bother defending a multi-national corporation against the opinions of a handful of people who you know only through a public forum?

 

[avedis]

I owned an Intel once.... An 8088... Soon got that cool NECV20 processor though...
Seriously, It's great that they help out, and to make my point clear...
Sure, Toyota has made some nice donations, but I still think rice rockets suck.
Have a nice day.
Avedis

 

[Wingznut]

I don't really think the description "defending" is a good term. That's certainly not my intention. It's just that if something negative about Intel gets posted on some obscure website, some people jump all over it and eat it up. Yet when they do something like their efforts for the NY tragedy, nobody says a word.

Even when Via donated $1 mil, it was real big news around here. But Intel has done so much more, and nobody notices. So, I just thought I'd point it out.

 

[Bozo Galora]

Opinions on Intel's "goodness" is not a General Hardware specific post
Should be moved to "Off Topic"

 

[CraigRT]

haha, they can afford to make those donations because they rip you off on their crappy overpriced CPU's.. now, i only say crappy, because for what you pay, you COULD be getting alot better - in comes AMD.

like seriously that's the top problem with Intel.. well, here are a few more... P4/RAMBUS (if you want ANY performance from your overpriced P4, you are FORCED to use RAMBUS because: - P4/SDR = 486 2001.

and another - what was with that socket 423 BS a while ago? just a little while back the P4 is released, then they switch the socket again to socket 478, right?and they fubar the people who bought their systems and want to upgrade a mere few months later by not having the 423 CPU's anymore.. or can you still buy those? i am not 100% sure.. all I know is, SocketA hasn't changed, and upgrade path is looking great for AMD setups.

like correct me if i am wrong, by all means.. but that is definitely enough to make ME think Intel IS evil (for the most part) there isn't any way i'll be caught getting ripped off on a P4 and SCAMBUS. here are some local price comparisons:

P3 933 - $246 CAD ( I had this CPU like a year ago or more..)
AMD T-Bird 1333 - $201 CAD ( Just got one of these a few months ago, DEFINITELY a noticeable boost in speed.. money well spent!)

Why is the P3 so much money? I don't know if most of you look past these issues for seeing Intel as evil, but I base them on the consumer level, and I can't figure out why they are charging so much for these things.. That is what I think sucks about them. - my P3 computer ran great, but my new machine, for less money, is a clear performance winner. The bottom line comes down to their pricing, the products they make are fine... but good god, CHARGE AN ARM AND A LEG.

 

[AGodspeed]

Even when Via donated $1 mil, it was real big news around here. But Intel has done so much more, and nobody notices. So, I just thought I'd point it out.

I believe you're referring to the false rumor that VIA was going to give 100 Million Dollars to the relief effort. The only reason people talked about VIA donating money at all was because of an initial false article claiming that VIA would donate 100 Million Dollars, when it actuality, it was just 1 Million.

Btw, do you have a link to the figures you're posting, I wanna read this article.

EDIT: Btw Wingz, I think Intel is evil (the wink means I'm just kidding in case you didn't catch on).

 

[Wingznut]

They charge that much because they are a corporation, and a profitable one at that (unlike AMD which has posted losses for two straight quarters, due to their very low prices. Notice that they are starting to bring their ASP up.) Don't you think AMD would list their XP1900 at $500+ each if they knew they could still sell as many. Damn right they would. Isn't that the goal of every business, to maximize their profits?

AGS, here is part of it. But they don't list everything that Intel has done. There's more that I read about every day on the intranet (which I obviously cannot post.)

 

[Demonicon]

<< I hear that stated on these forums more than a few times a week. Well, here's just how "evil" Intel really is:

Since Sept 11, Intel and their employees have donated over $3.5 million in cash to help the efforts to recover from that day's tragedy. Outside of money, Intel has spent countless hours and other resources in helping out the NY area.

"Intel's Operation Unity team coordinated efforts within the high-tech industry to help rebuild the computing infrastructure of companies and relief agencies devastated by the recent terrorist attacks.

Intel assembled an organization to provide technical assistance to humanitarian and disaster relief associations and help companies get their businesses up and running again. Some of Intel's other efforts include creating the e-Mail Center for NY Volunteers, central repository of industry support information, listing services available to small- and medium-sized businesses.

Intel also offered office space in the metro NY area and technical support to many of the companies who were displaced by the tragedy to use as temporary homes for keeping their businesses up and running."

Is there any other hi-tech company that has stepped up like Intel has?

And NY is just a piece of the pie. Intel and their employees contribute to the community on a daily basis. The donations to educational outlets, helping needy families... There's always some sort of charitable efforts going on. >>





I personally can decide what to do with my own money, I don't need Intel taking it from me by overpricing, then ditribute it for me to a charity of THEIR choice. I don't think Intel is evil, but brownie points for giving to charites for advertising and tax write offs do nothing to make me fell all warm and fuzzy about Intel.

Trying to prove that Intel is so great based on the fact they give to charity doesn't work.

 

[CraigRT]

<< Isn't that the goal of every business, to maximize their profits? >>



Of course.. but it doesn't mean I will like that when that happens...

Everyone likes paying less for something that is good, everything thinks they are getting a good deal when they buy their AMD's. It sucks buying something and you know you paid what you consider to be too much - it's not the case with some companies - these companies most people like!!

 

[gritnugget]

<B>Taken From a Random Internet Jargon:


"Chipzilla</B> One of our patois words for Intel, which is also variously described as The Great Satan of Chips, The Great Stan of Chips and Satan Clara. A cross between Godzilla and a dinosaur, Chipzilla is a carnivore which tramps over different landscapes and munches up small, harmless but competitive companies. "

Ooo.. and this is a news clipping from May of last year..


<DIV align=justify>"Five Intel workers from Satan Clara are amongst a gang of seventeen were charged yesterday in what the FBI describes as "The most significant investigation of copyright infringement involving the use of the Internet conducted to date."

The group is alleged to have hijacked 5000 pieces of software valued at more than $1 million.

The piracy ring, based in Canada at Quebec's Sherbrooke University, called itself "Pirates with Attitude" and also included members in Sweden and Belgium. Four Intel employees are accused of supplying hardware to the crooks in 1998 and a fifth with distributing the illegal software they received in return. "


Its funny how many hits you get when you serch for Intel is Satan Look the above posts are correct... charitable donations dont make a company... </DIV>

 

[Wingznut]

Five workers (out of thousands) represent a whole company?
Intel is distributing YOUR money?
Intel is evil because of how much their products cost?

Seriously... it's ridiculous. What Intel has done for NY is admirable. They could've donated some cash (enough to keep up with the Jones') and called it a day. Especially in these market conditions. But even still, the Intel-haters on this board can't give credit where credit is due.

*Sigh* I give up.

 

[Demonicon]

I'll give Intel credit for the donation, but it doesn't change what I posted.

 

[AGodspeed]

I'll give Intel credit for the donation, but it doesn't change what I posted.

Saying that you'll give Intel credit for their donations changes what you said in your previous post. How can you still stick with your previous post and still give Intel credit for their donations, look at what you wrote:

I personally can decide what to do with my own money, I don't need Intel taking it from me by overpricing, then ditribute it for me to a charity of THEIR choice. I don't think Intel is evil, but brownie points for giving to charites for advertising and tax write offs do nothing to make me fell all warm and fuzzy about Intel.

Trying to prove that Intel is so great based on what they did for a National disaster sounds like some PR ploy to me. To get more millions. Rather than just helping in any way they can. We all know Intel has the means to help.

Claiming unsubstantiated stuff like "tax write-offs" or "PR ploy" is just plain ridiculous. I don't even know why I'm taking the time to write this, since your opinion is not widely held on AT, but still, I hope you realize how contradicting your statements are.

 

[zzzz]

<< Opinions on Intel's "goodness" is not a General Hardware specific post
Should be moved to "Off Topic" >>

 

[dszd0g]

AGodspeed, I do not personally think Intel is evil. I however, do think that they try their hardest to maintain a monopoly. Both of my main machines right now are Intel, but if I upgraded at the moment I would go with AMD to support the smaller company. That is also the impression I get from posts like Demonicon's. I do not know how he feels, I'll leave that to him to express. I just think you are over reacting and I am getting the impression that you believe that everyone who supports AMD over Intel believes that Intel is evil?

Demonicon, in my opinion, is correct about giving to charity as a means of business. I honestly do not believe that most companies do it out of the goodness of their hearts. I have heard about some of the accounting that goes into it, and the tax write-off is a strong factor in it. The stronger factor is that it makes good marketing. What bothers me the most is companies that market the deal that they donate some percentage, or if you buy this they will donate this. They are getting the tax write-off for it instead of you. The companies that I think look better are the ones that do the deals that if you donate this amount to charity, we will give you this deal. With these companies you are getting the tax write-off instead of them, and that shows more charity in my opinion.

The companies that really care about donating don't spend money advertising their donations. It is just another form of marketing. I guess advertising that you give to charity is better than just advertising, but I do not think one can claim that it makes for a good company.

 

[Demonicon]

<< I'll give Intel credit for the donation, but it doesn't change what I posted.

Saying that you'll give Intel credit for their donations changes what you said in your previous post. How can you still stick with your previous post and still give Intel credit for their donations, look at what you wrote:

I personally can decide what to do with my own money, I don't need Intel taking it from me by overpricing, then ditribute it for me to a charity of THEIR choice. I don't think Intel is evil, but brownie points for giving to charites for advertising and tax write offs do nothing to make me fell all warm and fuzzy about Intel.

Trying to prove that Intel is so great based on what they did for a National disaster sounds like some PR ploy to me. To get more millions. Rather than just helping in any way they can. We all know Intel has the means to help.

Claiming unsubstantiated stuff like "tax write-offs" or "PR ploy" is just plain ridiculous. I don't even know why I'm taking the time to write this, since your opinion is not widely held on AT, but still, I hope you realize how contradicting your statements are. >>






1)I never in any post refuted that Intel gave to charities. So I gave them credit. Simple enough.

2)Does the fact that Intel gives to charity force me to say good things about them?

3)Is it unreasonable sometimes to think it's possible for companies to give to charity for publicity?


***APOLOGY***:I will say that I went to far with the using of the tragedy as an example for Intel to advertise or gain from in some way, I got carried away and that IS rediculous. I apologize to those I offended with that statement and will remove it from my original post. JFTR

 

[ElFenix]

<< "Intel is evil!" >>

i knew it! and now we have it on record from an intel employee!

 

[Raspewtin]

actually intel is supringly responsible corporate citizen, aware of their dominance (ever shrinking nowadays ) in the market, and respective of what that means. That is why the Justice Dept did not persue them in the fashion they persued Microsoft, which is much less responsible ( I think evil is nearly a fair word for them ). but 3.5 million is pennies for a company like INTEL. how disappointing. i would have guessed they would have gave more. i guess that was barely enough to enjoy the pr value.

 

[BFG10K]

On the subject of Intel I have to say that their technical support is nothing short of astounding. When I had an issue with one of their firewalls their technical support was absolutely amazing. They went out of their way to help me.