Microcode, which is a no-go for modern designs

[Fred Cisin]

> Pentiums and it was a real hassle to have to field all those beefs from
> customers whose EXPENSIVE processors couldn't divide accurately.

no
It was a real hassle to have to field all those beefs from customers who 
had a PERCEPTION that their expensive processors Wouldn't divide 
accurately.

There was a serious problem with public perception, and further fueled by 
talk show comedians, that all bank statements would be wrong, that 
missiles would hit the wrong cities, that airplanes couldn't find the 
right airport, . . .   AND that all arithmetic in all computers is done 
with floating point.

Few people (but most are right here) can recite PI to enough digits to 
reach the level of inaccuracy.   And those who believe that PI is exactly 
22/7 are unaffected by FDIV.   (YES, some schools do still teach that!)


Intel needed to do much better on their PR.  There was a public perception 
that Intel said that they would only replace them for people who could 
PROVE that their work was directly affected.

Instead, Intel needed to make it CLEAR that "ALL will be replaced, at no 
charge.  But, we need a little time to make a few more, SO, we will start 
by replacing those for which the work is directly affected, and replace 
ALL of them as quickly as more are made."

MOST owners would not hit the error during the life of the machine. Most 
power lUsers would have already upgraded to a newer machine (those who 
were screaming the loudest, "upgrade" to a newer machine several times 
a year, even though they don't replace their car EVERY year).

--
Grumpy Ol' Fred     		cisin at xenosoft.com
3.14159265358979