Fun_People Archive
21 Dec
Inside Intel - Not sure what this says about our culture ...

Date: Wed, 21 Dec 94 12:46:52 PST
To: Fun_People
Subject: Inside Intel - Not sure what this says about our culture ...

[I've known the story quoted here since childhood, but this certainly puts it
in an unexpected light... -psl]

Forwarded-by: <someone@intel.com>
Subject: Pentium rejoinder circulating inside Intel ...

Date: Wed, 21 Dec 94 10:34:51 PST
From: xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Putting the Pentium FPU problem in perspective


          The Pentium fiasco has cast a somber shadow over our company 
          this holiday season. This little story is one that I heard 
          just recently. It helps me view the problem with a different 
          perspective, and I urge you to distribute it to anyone and 
          everyone that you know who might be "down in the dumps," 
          working the Pentium hot line, or otherwise in need of a more 
          positive view of the matter.
          
          ... Jxx Gxxxxx ...
          
                     --------------------------------------
          
          Once there was a little boy named Amos, who was considered 
          by most to be a little "slow." The other boys in the 
          neighborhood teased him unmercifully. Their favorite method 
          of ridicule was to place a dime and a nickel in the palm of 
          their hand and let Amos select whichever of the coins he 
          wanted to keep. Amos would invariably choose the nickel, and 
          the boys would roar with laughter and mockery. They would 
          sarcastically congratulate him on correctly choosing the 
          larger coin, since it must surely be of greater value than 
          the smaller one.
          
          One day, the boys enacted their mockery upon Amos while his 
          father stood a short distance way, just outside their view. 
          Much to their delight, and just as predicted, he once again 
          chose the nickel. The boys cheered and laughed, and then ran 
          off, leaving Amos behind to contemplate his choice.
          
          "Son," said his father, "those boys are teasing you. You 
          know that, don't you?"
          
          Casting his eyes to the ground, Amos replied "Yes, I know."
          
          "You're smart enough to know that the dime is more valuable 
          than the nickel, aren't you?" His father asked.
          
          "Yes," replied Amos, without looking up.
          
          "Then why do you always choose the nickel?" his father 
          wondered aloud.
          
          "Because if I took the dime," answered Amos, looking up with 
          a devilish squint in his eye, "they would stop making the 
          offer."
                     --------------------------------------

© 1994 Peter Langston