Compaq Continues Shipping Pentium-Based PCs Amidst Intel Flaw Concerns

Strategic Insights -

As the world grapples with the recently discovered flaw in the Intel Pentium microprocessor, Compaq Computer Corporation has emerged as a key player in addressing the issue. The company has taken the stance of continuing to ship Pentium-based PCs and servers to customers who require the higher performance offered by the Pentium. Despite concerns over the flaw, Compaq is committed to reassuring customers and providing software tools to help them navigate the situation.

Compaq's Senior Vice President and General Manager, Desktop PC Division, John Rose, emphasized the company's approach: "We will work with our customers to replace the Pentium processors if they are affected by the flaw, and provide some software tools to help them in the meantime." The company has assembled a team of experienced software and hardware engineers to develop interim software tools that can allow customers to evaluate their situation and continue to use their Pentium PCs in most applications.

Key Takeaways:

  • Compaq has decided to continue shipping Pentium-based PCs and servers to satisfy customers who require the higher level of performance offered by the Pentium.
  • The company believes that the vast majority of its customers are unlikely to encounter the flaw in their calculations.
  • Compaq will work with customers to replace the Pentium processors if they are affected by the flaw.
  • The company has developed software tools to help customers evaluate their situation and continue to use their Pentium PCs in most applications.
  • Most applications affected by the Intel Pentium flaw can use software floating point libraries to perform floating point calculations instead of the Pentium FPU.
  • Compaq is publishing informational reports to help customers evaluate the Intel Pentium flaw and its implications to their applications.
  • The software tools have been tested on Compaq PCs only and may or may not work with other PC brands.

Statistics:

  • The incorrect results are in calculations of the following form: I * I = ε or I / (I * I) = ε.
  • The Compaq software tools are available on CompuServe and the Internet and can be used to determine the extent to which customers' applications use the flawed floating point operations.
  • The incidence of the flaw is extremely low, with most customers being unlikely to encounter the issue in their calculations.
  • The Compaq Technical Support Hotline number is 800-345-1518.
  • The company has dedicated a team of 20 experienced software and hardware engineers to the "tiger team" tasked with addressing the issue.

Sources:

  • Compaq Computer Corporation (John Rose, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Desktop PC Division)
  • Internet ( CompuServe, Prodigy, America On Line)
  • CompuServe and the Internet (public Compaq forums)