I can't speak for Intel, but AMD would have no issue in helping to enable features for Sparc, as long as that enablement also included AMD. We could learn a lot, together, if we did. (Isn't that in the spirit of open-source?) AMD just wants a level playing field that allows us to compete fairly on the benefits of our products.
It certainly would seem to be a problem if an engineer used NDA information to develop features for a competitor of that information. However, there should be no issue if that same engineer generated code to support each of the vendors' features using each of the applicable vendor's NDA material. (That is the way it works at most/all of our other ISV/OSVs.) BTW... Most of the engineers now assigned to working on Intel NDA enhancements were already exposed to AMD NDA information. If your understanding of Sun policy is correct... it would seem that Sun would have had to hire new engineers to work on Intel NDA features to comply to that policy. -George -----Original Message----- From: Garrett D'Amore [mailto:garr...@damore.org] Sent: Thursday, October 18, 2007 8:31 AM To: Gavin Maltby Cc: James Carlson; Ostrovsky, Boris; ogb-discuss at opensolaris.org; Herman, George Subject: Re: [ogb-discuss] Creating a place for AMD-related work Gavin Maltby wrote: > On 10/16/07 16:46, Garrett D'Amore wrote: >> Just a quick note, for those not in the know. Sun policy requires >> (and for good reason!) that engineers with access to NDA materials >> from either AMD or Intel work only on the platform (either AMD or >> Intel) for which they got the NDA. Its too bad at some level, because >> there could > > I thought it was more a question of funding: if your headcount is funded > by the Intel deal then you shouldn't work on AMD-specific features, etc. > Otherwise put: I know of a number of exceptions to the above There was an internal training about this, and no, its not just funding. Its legal CYA. If someone writes a feature to support AMD chips, using NDA information from Intel (and given the large overlap between the product lines this is not as insane as it first sounds) it leaves Sun open to a lawsuit from Intel. And the reverse is true. And of course, neither Intel nor AMD want to enable SPARC design, either. -- Garrett
