Heck. IBM would sell upgrades to their stuff 40 years ago that consisted of a tech coming out and flipping a couple of DIP switches...
-sc From: Justin Thomas [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, September 20, 2010 5:07 PM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: Re: Intel wants to charge to unlock features already on your CPU Also not much different than the servers from Dell. The motherboard has lots of stuff built in, but if you want to enable the PERC, or add features to the NIC you will have to buy a hardware key to unlock them. Like Andrew says it easier for them to manufacture (and support) fewer motherboards. On Mon, Sep 20, 2010 at 4:03 PM, Andrew S. Baker <[email protected]> wrote: What's old is new again. This was done way back when with the 486 line. AMD used to do something similar, and it required the "pencil trick" to write back the lines needed enable the additional power. It makes it easier for them to sell CPUs at a particular price point, then get you to upgrade the functionality at a cost, rather than manufacturing two separate SKUs And yes, it if can be enabled legitimately, it can be hacked. ASB (My XeeSM Profile) <http://xeesm.com/AndrewBaker> Exploiting Technology for Business Advantage... On Mon, Sep 20, 2010 at 4:43 PM, John Aldrich <[email protected]> wrote: Anyone seen this article -- http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/18/intel-wants-to-charge-50-to-unlock-st uff- your-cpu-can-already-d/ <http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/18/intel-wants-to-charge-50-to-unlock-s tuff-your-cpu-can-already-d/> Seems Intel is using software to "lock" features already on your CPU. Anyone want to lay odds they won't give you a price break because you're buying the "crippled" version of the CPU? As with most of the comments on the site, my bet is they charge full price for the "crippled" version, an extra $200 for the "full featured" version and then ask you to buy software to have the "full featured" version. Next question...how long before some cracker out there "jail breaks" the new CPU code and releases it into the wild? :-) ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ --- To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to [email protected] with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin -- Probable Contrarian ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ --- To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to [email protected] with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ --- To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to [email protected] with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin
