AMD and ATI flesh out time line

The deal was kicked off by AMD approaching ATI 'late last year', the narrowest estimate I have managed to get was the fourth quarter 2005.

As of two weeks ago, we were still hearing that talks were hot and heavy, but nothing had been signed.

That all changed over the weekend. Partners had read about the deal, probably discussed it, but from what I gather, did not really think it was real until they got a phone call from AMD. Their reactions, or lack thereof, show this in black and white.

I am told those calls were not made until the deal was signed, which would put it sometime on Sunday. The word about the announcement went out on Monday in the early hours in America but at a civilised time in Europe, followed by a press conference at the crack of dawn in NYC. Three quarters of discussions followed by one day of pure spin.

The trouble is all the spinners knew on Friday so leak heaven reigned. And some of the partners did too. Which is how come we were first with the news at Friday midday. There's no point ATI nor AMD holding a witch hunt. It is a pointless exercise and they will never find who the culprits were. µ