x86 Question

[suzerain_00]

So we're all aware that Intel licenses the x86 architecture to AMD (and VIA, also AMD licenses AMD64 to Intel). But what would happen if (in this theoretical situation), Intel went under. Like Intel as a company disentegrates, and with all their intellectual property. Does that mean AMD doesn't pay license fees for x86 anymore, or does that mean nobody can actually license x86 because there's nobody to license it from? I'm really curious...

[mariushm]

Intel owns some patents for x86 and AMD owns some patents. Neither can fully give to a third player licenses to everything required to make an x86 processor.

If Intel were to fail, i think there's enough government and military rules and regulations in US that another US company will receive the rights to manufacture x86 processors. AMD would probably also be forced to give licenses to that company so that it wouldn't be sued if it was to start making x86 processors.

 

Note that  Intel and AMD are not the only companies that can make x86 processors ... Via still exists, though they're too small of a player to successfully establish cpu sockets and their processors are kind of limited to Socket 370 era (i think that's the last socket they received licenses from Intel, who now refuses to license their sockets or allow other companies to make chipsets for their processors)

So for these reasons, they're pretty much making bga processors (to be soldered to motherboards in industrial boards or laptops)

 

Link to Via's cpu page : https://www.viatech.com/en/silicon/processors/

 

I think there may also be some patents or stuff which prevents them from using AVX and SSE and more advanced instructions sets ( Intel and AMD have cross licensing deals) , so even if they'd invest a huge amount of money in raising the performance, programs may not support those processors without those instructions ... like for example the x264 video encoder may refuse to start if there's no SSE4.

 

There were also companies like Transmeta which designed a processor that was working like an x86 emulator ... it received x86 instructions and converted everything in its own internal "language" - it was x86 compatible but slower than "pure" x86 ... See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmeta_Crusoe

 

[Sniperfox47]

8 hours ago, mariushm said:

There were also companies like Transmeta which designed a processor that was working like an x86 emulator ... it received x86 instructions and converted everything in its own internal "language" - it was x86 compatible but slower than "pure" x86 ... See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmeta_Crusoe

 

Nvidia too with Denver. The Denver project was originally designed to dynarec x86 code to it's internal language, before they changed directions and switched to dynarecing ARM code.

[AshleyAshes]

The problem here is that you don't understand what would happen if Intel 'Went Under'.  It would not disappear like a ship sinking deep into the Atlantic ocean.  It would instead be sold piece by piece and for scrap.  Companies would purchase the various patents as Intel was liquidated as would any other Intel assets.