AMD's server share leaps past 10 percent mark

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A monopoly is when there are many buyers but only one seller (hint: mono means one) or an exclusive control or possession of something.

US law doesn't deal with "is X a monopoly" but rather with "does X have the power to command the market?" In a normal market, a vendor who threatens to withold supply from a customer ends up short one customer because the customer can go elsewhere.

OEMs aren't able to just switch product mixes that quickly because there's no direct substitution. In the longer run, there's always the question of whether AMD could supply the demand if Intel told (let's imagine) HP that if their AMD percentage got too high Intel would "no bid" quotes.

It seems like this article suggests AMD can in fact sell into this market and customers can in fact buy something other than Intel.

Keep in mind that Intel's customers are the OEMs. Yes, they can buy AMD. As long as they don't buy enough to inspire Intel to punish them [1].

However, keep in mind that the biggest problem that actual customers like $EMPLOYER have been having is actually getting AMD machines. Never mind what the product announcements say, those suckers are hard to lay hands on. Dell is the worst with their "there's no demand [2]" but IBM has been acting strange too, despite having the best assured supply around as AMD's process partner. With HP it's hard to tell whether they're nervous or just up to their usual incompetence.

[1] Taking AMD's factual account as true, since we're discussing the law rather than the accuracy of the alleged facts. On those, I reserve judgment.

[2] Sure, there isn't. Dell sells Itanic systems -- how's the demand for those, hmmm?

Posted by: Yagotta B. Kidding   Posted on: 07/25/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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