AMD will force ATI to keep to its schedules

THERE IS ONE aspect of AMD's acquisition that has been overlooked by many. AMD needs graphics expertise, even the sparrows know that by now, but ATI actually needs a strong hand to keep the products coming on time.

No question that ATI has a bunch of talented engineers but traditionally these chaps have managed to skip most of the target schedules. Just in the last 12 months they delayed the R520, then delayed R580, RV516, RV530, RV560 for a whole quarter and now even the saviour, the R600 is behind schedule.

Going from 110 to 90 and now to 80 nanometres is hard and ATI learned its lesson - unfortunately the hardest way possible. That's what made Nvidia decide to make G80 a fat 90 nanometre chip as opposed to a slim-line 80 nanometre. The optical shrink wasn't straightforward enough.

AMD will ensure that ATI won't be skipping its schedules any more and, if it does, there will be some major consequences. When AMD says it will make the transition to 65 nanometres, it simply does it in the same quarter as promised. Big mistakes are not allowed as it is up against super-wealthy Intel. When ATI says it will do something, it has been able to skip weeks, months or even quarters.

DAAMIT needs the Fusion CPU - GPU chip on time and it won't tolerate any kind of delay. Same goes for RV6x0 derived DirectX 10 cores or the upcoming R700 chips. If they are late, someone will be spanked really badly, there might be even some lay offs.

This is how Nvidia has done it for years and that is the part we like about the firm. If you are late, Jensen will rip your heart out and eat if for breakfast, maybe lunch if he is not hungry in the morning.

That's why Nvidia kept to its projected schedules ever since its NV30 RIP fiasco. Nvidia learned its lesson then and 0.13 microns was a hard step to make. So AMD can and will be the strong arm of its graphic division known as ATI and this will keep the former red boys more tightly on schedule than ever before. µ