Former AMD CEO fires Slingshot at Intel

You might not have heard of Lauren Villagran, graduate of Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism with a background that includes Associated Press and CBS, but she's the lady that's helped pen one of the most explosive business stories of recent times: The decision by Hector Ruiz to stand up and fight against Intel's antitrust violation practices in 2005. KitGuru checks for nugget sized rocks and flexes the elastic.

When Hector was studying engineering in the mid-60s, Intel has not been formed by Gordon Moore and Robert Noyce.

However, these guys were already on a collision course that would end in the 2005 suit filed by Hector while running AMD, which was ultimately found to be a strong enough of an accusation that Intel had to pay AMD $1.25 Billion in 2009.

If you're unsure how Hector has couched the story, co-written with Lauren Villagran, then the full title is a bit of a giveaway.

Slingshot:AMD’s Fight To Free An Industry From The Ruthless Grip Of Intel

Catchy.

It hails from the biblical story of David taking down Goliath with a single, accurate rock. In real life, the blow to +$50 billion turnover Intel was less fatal than in the good book, but it still shows that if you are honest and true, then you can get your day in court and the opposition (no matter how large) can be made to pay for wrong-doing, which is comforting in a way.

The book also covers other areas that we're all familiar with, including the ego-play that prevented nVidia from merging with AMD because AMD would not accept former employee Jen Hsun Huang as CEO.

It also touches on the story of how AMD became known in the trade as Arabic Micro Devices, following a bail out by Abu Dhabi.

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KitGuru says: In English history, we celebrate 23rd April as St George's Day. He's the chap who slayed the dragon. Hector has chosen that day for the release of his book, so maybe Dragon-slaying was foremost on his mind. But it's also Shakespeare's birth and death day – so maybe he's just celebrating Lauren's writing style.

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