Victory, sure, it might be "normal" to do a paper launch, but it's a very sleazy, dishonest way of marketing something. And BTW, there's a BIG difference between an "announcement" and a "paper launch". If a certain product can't be found in stores, it doesn't <i>always</i> mean that it's a paper launch. The product could be out, but in limited quantities. I admit, the 1ghz P3 was a paper launch, and Intel released a small quantity of 1.13 P3's early, just so they could beat AMD to the punch, but Intel made the mistake of not fully doing it's famous testing on the 1.13. Thus, it had problems, and was quickly recalled. Now, Intel has learned, to never rush a product (release it)until there is an adequate volume of the product, and that it's been fully tested. The 2.8 is case in point. IT could've been released as early as May or June, but there was no market demand, and Intel fully tested it, fixed the prefetch bug, and also made a new stepping. On top of that, when they released the 2.8 recently, it was in volume production. So, if you want a 2.8 right now, there's no problem in getting one.
When a company does a paper launch, they go down to a very low level. Intel did it to compete with AMD, but Intel now knows paper launches are bad, because it not only angers retailers, and investors, but also customers. The P4 was specifically designed to ramp at record speeds, so Intel could take it nice and slow, and do proper releases with the p4. I agree, that it was a bad idea for Intel to do a paper launch, but they have learned from their mistakes.
[off-topic] AMD_Man, you should've added some extra 3's to make it more convincing.
[off-topic]
Matisaro, unlike AMD fans, most Intel fans don't go "down with the ship" (except the really stubborn ones). There was once a time (a few years ago) when Intel fans laughed at AMD fans, but now it's the other way around. And these days, Intel fans are very modest. In the current state of the AMD vs. Intel debate, AMD fans right now would be laughing thier heads off and making fun of Intel fans if they were in that position right now. But, you don't see many Intel fans making fun of AMD or laughing at AMD's loyalists becuase of the paper launch. AMD fans seem to be very vocal, as well as stubborn, and loyal. AMD fans will argue about the tiniest things with all their might, whiel Intel fans barely talk, even about major Intel events. SO, if I were you, I wouldn't be pointing any fingers toward Intel fans, Mat. Mat, how the heck was the 1.13 a paper launch? FYI, they didn't all go to Dell. If you looked hard, you were able to find some OEM versions, and basically all of those OEM's went to white box computers. A paper launch is launching a product on paper, but not in any stores, retailers, etc. In other words, it's an imaginary launch, and I have no idea how you would consider a 1.13 a "paper launch". And even though you say you weren't knocking Intel it sure sounded like it, so take nja's advice, and try to word your arguments better.
And LED is right, you are one of the leading people in this forum who puts so much faith into AMD, and defends AMD so much. Even when it's obvious you're wrong, or when you're biased towards AMD, you always defend yourself as well as AMD saying you're totally fair, AMD is equal to Intel, etc. Intel learns from thier mistakes, and Intel (to my knowledge) has not made the same mistake twice, it terms of doing something wrong with their CPU's.
In conclusion, paper launches are bad, and neither AMD nor Intel should do them. AMD should know better then to do one at the curent time.
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