Governments line up to bail out DRAM makers

IDG News Service via PCWorld ^ | 12/12/2008 | Dan Nystedt

[CE2949BB]

DRAM makers are facing one of the worst downturns in their history and governments around the world are lining up to help companies through the mess.

Taiwan, Germany and South Korea all appear poised to offer some assistance to their DRAM chip makers. The need could not be greater. Long before the global financial crisis hit, DRAM makers suffered steep sales declines due to a glut of their chips.

DRAM prices are now at rock bottom and companies are cutting back production instead of making more chips at such steep losses. The next few weeks will be the best time in years to buy new DRAM.

[Boiling Pots]

And if these DRAM makers don’t get their bailout by Tuesday, the whole world will collapse.

[raybbr]

Much of the new output was aimed at Microsoft's Windows Vista OS. The OS requires more memory per PC than older OSs, and DRAM companies hoped Vista would be a blockbuster, sending people scurrying to buy new laptops and PCs or to upgrade memory in existing machines.

Bwahahahahahahahha! LOL!

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

I checked to see if this said “satire.” Nope, apparently they are serious. The number of bailout requests is ridiculous, but not funny.

[raybbr]

BTW, this must be the reason new laptops are coming with 4gb of ram as a standard.

[Loyal Buckeye]

Government's view of the economy could be summed up in three short phrases. If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.

Ronald Reagan

[DesertSapper]

I have Vista Home Premium 64 on my newest PC and XP Pro on 3 other PC's in the house. There's no comparison - the Vista box outruns all the others by a mile. Looks better too.

I've been a "techie" since DOS/Win3.1 so I've seen what MS has done correctly and incorrectly - actually had to help remedy many of the screw ups for customers. :-) 95/98 - good OS, ME - bad, 2000 - good, XP (at SP2) - great, Vista (at SP1) - almost great. I expect that Vista will never sell like XP did but, by SP2, will be as stable and more functional. At SP1, Vista is already my OS of choice.

To each his own on their choice of OS. I even know of some instances of OS/2 still running around here. :-P

[raybbr]

From what I've read most problems with Vista are in regards to networking.

I visited my sister and used her Vista laptop. I have never used Vista before but I was able to remedy some problems she had. I was also able to help my brother-in-law fix his problems with MS's CareOne network software.

I have just ordered a new Toshiba with Vista. I built an XP box earlier this year that crashes every once in a while when I close Paint Shop Pro. I have no idea why it does that but it's annoying. Other than that I love XP. I used to have 2000 Pro.

I have resisted SP3 for XP based on all the warnings and have yet to find a place to save my entire drive while I upgrade which is what MS recommends you do.

[Condor51]

Much of the new output was aimed at Microsoft's Windows Vista OS. The OS requires more memory per PC than older OSs, and DRAM companies hoped Vista would be a blockbuster, ... But those hopes faded as Vista sales failed to meet expectations.

Well. the OBVIOUS next step for the DRAM makers is to ... sue Bill Gates and Microsoft! I'm sure there's Federal Judge somewhere in Kalifornia that will see its all his fault. (yes, I'm series)

And its not like XP Pro doesn't eat memory either. My 'new' machine has 1 gig of DRAM and some apps are sloooooow. So I have 2 extra gig of DRAM to put in -- when I get the time. (though still beats the hell out Win ME and my old Dell)

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

Link: Italian cheese bailout