Intel Folsom doesn't have locked gates

SINCE OUR ARTICLE ON AMD HQ's empty parking lot was so warmly received, this Saturday morning we decided to do a bit more weekend snooping. On our way to South Lake Tahoe's winter recreation in the early morning fog, we suddenly popped out into sunshine. So we turned off California Highway 50 and found our way into the parking lot of Intel's Folsom facility. Though only about 140 miles from AMD HQ, the terrain around Folsom is a lot different.

INQminds boss man Mad Mike Mageeky poked around Intel Folsom in 2005. Mageeky's scribblings of wisdom were talked about by non-official Intel bloggers at the My Folsom Podcast Club. They came up with more than a few questions about the authenticity of the former Intel engineer who spoke with Mageeky at "Denny's 24 hour breakfast joint near Folsom".

We can assure our devoted readers the person who Mike spoke to was the real deal. Mageeky's engineering friend has spent a lot of workday lunches at the Golden Lake Chinese Restaurant on Riley Street. A favourite eatery for Intel types escaping their slightly-better-than-average cafeteria food. The engineer's insider information was based on working at Intel Folsom from almost the day Folsom campus opened. Our informant also has received some of Andy Grove's highest awards.

While driving along Prairie City Road, we wished we could pull out the spify Panasonic DMC-FZ50 but settles for our palm sized DMC-Z3 and started scouting the campus premises. Most noticeable was all though Intel is located only 3.5 miles from Ole' Folsom Prison, there are NO tall iron fences around Intel Folsom buildings like at AMD HQ in Sunnyvale.

Intel Folsom guards are very sociable people and asked us if they could help us. They also said, please NO photos of their name tags. In fact, politeness must come with living so close to California's Gold Country. One of the guards suggested we have lunch at Kabob House on East Bidwell. We were told it is another place that local high tech folks enjoy.

One of the more impressive things we saw were not only employee cars but customer cars too in the parking lot on an early Saturday morning.

However, the most interesting vehicles we spotted in the parking lot were possibly the reason Intel is leading AMD. Now these are the latest in field technician vehicles. One of them has a large satellite dish on the roof and the name is most impressive too. We were not exactly sure what "Digital Health" on the side of an ambulance-like vehicle meant. Anybody care to fill us in?

Next was the obvious reason Intel is way out in front of AMD. They have a spiffy lil' truck with the important title "Intel Response Team". Clearly designed to take care of all those outdoor emergency's like ... (Enough of this.- Ed) Somebody out there, please, tell us what Intel employees do with this one?

Then one of the curious guards drove up in his white SUV indentified with the Intel logo. He asked us “were we going to visit one of the employees who was working today?” “Uh no”. We thanked him and slipped off to the Kabob House for an early lunch. While we were munching on a plate of braised ground lamb with rice, along with shared dolmas and hummus. A fellow sat down and immediately started talking on his mobile phone. We find that rather rude in any eating establishment.

But, we made an exception on Saturday. Because, this one-sided conversation got really interesting. Seems there was some sort of long running burn-in test going on at Intel. The fellow kept asking about temperatures. Finally he said something like “if the Quad Core can live at a sustained 75 to 80 degrees Celsius then it passes our government's requirements.” Unfortunately he noticed we had stopped eating and our ears were obviously twitching. He flipped shut his Motorazr V3 and ate his remaining moussaka in silence.

We aimed our trusty Turbo AWD, with snow tires, up highway 50 for Echo Summit and down the hill to beautiful blue Lake Tahoe. Sadly all the snow had disappeared the day before and all we could do was feed the one-armed bandits at the casinos. µ