Here is some interesting information for Skype fans everywhere;
I do a ton of communication with people in Europe and Asia, all of whom use Skype on a regular basis. When I heard that Skype would support 10 way calling with an Intel dual core processor and not with AMD dual core I was a bit perplexed. Obviously performance isn't a factor with AMD X2 so I figured eventually someone would come out with a patch.
It turns out that Maxxus has a patched version of Skype that allows 10-way calling regardless of the processor installed. There are also details on the patch: "The patch is the result of two` phases: code analysis and design of the patch. The code analysis, or reverse engineering, reveals the relevant code block, which overrides Skype's limitation for Intel's dual-core CPUs. The patch design isolates the minimal set of instructions that need to be modified to cancel this limitation."
So, if you have an AMD X2 processor you'll notice that 10 way calling works and the CPU is barely breaking a sweat. This also makes an interesting case for AMD in their subpoena of Skype in their much publicized lawsuit against Intel. Though I'm not sure that Intel has anything to do with this added code it is still interesting nonetheless.
Do keep in mind that this isn’t an official “patch” from the makers of Skype, it’s more of a hack. I have tested it and it works great - I may get my techs to test the real world difference between AMD and Intel on Skype to see if there are any benefits either way.
It only makes sense that the Skype team should modify the official version of Skype to support all processors, afterall we are all paying customers of their service.
7 blogger comments:
"It only makes sense that the Skype team should modify the official version of Skype to support all processors, afterall we are all paying customers of their service."
Hear Hear.
Read this slashdot post. It would be nice to see the result of those tests and would probably give a good article too (just to show how arbitrary and artificial the limitation was). I have no AMD cpu so I can't do it, maybe someone can :)
Well, what do you know - AMD can do 10-way calling after all, and without "breaking a sweat," no less.
If the AMD chip barely breaks a sweat with a 10-way call, I wonder how many simultaneous calls it could handle before the persperation begins to form?
Thank you, Rahul. Skype - stop the madness. Do right by your customers and remove the cripple code now!
how many other programs out there deliberatly use cpuid to disadavatage AMD. Intel's compiler would be one?1
OK, I understand the "stick it to the man" feelings, but really, how many people regularly - if ever - hold 10-way conference calls?
The problem isn't the technology, it the people. It's up to 10 people trying to talk at once. I personally tend to find them ineffective beyond 3-5 parties.
Beyond that it tends to be non-stop with interruptions, someone typing, someone talking to others in the room, cell phones ringing; it's plain annoying.
So my question is how many people REALLY care that someone hacked 10-way calling for AMD? <.01% of the AMD user base is my estimate. I just don't see what all the fuss is about.
So my question is how many people REALLY care that someone hacked 10-way calling for AMD? <.01% of the AMD user base is my estimate. I just don't see what all the fuss is about.
I'm one. I use Skype all the time for world-wide conferences combining both PC to PC and PC to Phone conferences. It works great, and the 10 user limit makes it much nicer for when you need to add a couple of extra people online.
"So my question is how many people REALLY care that someone hacked 10-way calling for AMD? <.01% of the AMD user base is my estimate. I just don't see what all the fuss is about."
To me that question is beside the point. The real question is whether or not enaging in exclusive deals like this is illegal/anticompetitive.
Assuming you believe that Intel is indeed a monopoly (they absolutely are by the legal standard, with more about 80 percent market share and nearly 90 percent revenue share), it is indeed illegal for them to enter into exclusive deals designed to unfairly harm competitors - in this case AMD.
Monopoly companies are held to a different legal standard than other businesses are in more healthy, competitive markets. So AMD is right to have served their subpoena.
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