Rating:  Summary: Very good Review: Along with the "Vault Reports Guide" on Intel, which is full of quotes from Intel insiders, I thought "Inside Intel" was one of the best insider views of Intel.
Rating:  Summary: Greate insight into a fascinating company Review: As a former Intel employee, I feel that Tim Jackson got an in-depth understanding of the dual face that Intel has. On one hand, it is one of the most exciting companies in the world today - full of clever people with bright ideas, who create one of the most exciting products in today's world. Intel gives its employees the opportunity to be an active part of the technologic revolution. It also made many employees rich by giving them stock options (although it was much less generous than other companies in the high-tech business, like Microsoft). On the other hand, if the big companies of today are like independent countries, then Intel resembles the former Soviet Union. The walls at Intel's sites are all covered with propaganda posters about how Intel is "A great place to work", and how "Intel culture" makes sure that it will always be so (pretty much like "the communist heaven"...). Employees get regular lessons in "Intel Culture" and its principles - like "Constructive Confrontation" "One on One" "Intel Management by Objective" - teaching them how these great principles make sure that their voice is heard, that they will have an open door in the upper management, and they will be able to express their ideas freely. In practice, however, employees soon find out that the system's main purpose is to provide management a tight control over the ordinary engineers, and make sure that everybody "stays in line", and avoid criticism. The hierarchical system of "key results" and periodical reviews makes sure that any manager would be able to get rid of "trouble makers" reporting to him as soon as possible. As a result, internal politics and the pressure on the workers constantly grow. (In my opinion, this is the reason why Intel couldn't convert its great success in building processors to any other field - like software development or networking products - despite huge investments in these fields). It is amazing that Mr. Jackson had never been an Inter employee himself - as his book gives a fair and accurate description of what it is like inside Intel - with the good and the bad parts.
Rating:  Summary: Power behind the PC business: first unauthorized history Review: Based on over 100 interviews and research in court documents and unpublished records, the story of the irresistible rise of Intel Corporation and Andy Grove from 1968 to the presen
Rating:  Summary: A Tour de Force of Reporting on Intel's Formative Years Review: Considering that Jackson had little or no official access to Grove or Intel, this is an incredible piece of work, filled with interesting and amusing stories from Intel's early years. For my tastes, there's a little too much on Intel's battles with AMD and not enough on its unique relationship with Microsoft. And at times, it reads like a history of Intel's legal department. But overall, it provides great reading and a fascinating view of a corporation built in Grove's own image.
Rating:  Summary: A well-written history of the semiconductor industry Review: Highly interesting, well-written, and non-technical. Anyone with an interest in the computer industry would enjoy this book.
Rating:  Summary: Fascinating Look Inside Intel Review: I read this book on the advice of a colleague, both of us Ph.D. engineers in an unrelated field. Jackson presents an interesting dissection of life inside Intel as it grew to the leader in its field. Some of the details were astounding...I couldn't believe they occurred. I agree with other reviewers...if you want to work for Intel, you MUST read this book first.
Rating:  Summary: History of the Semiconductor Industry Review: I read this book over a weekend without putting it down to rest.It tells you how the semiconductor industry got started, who were the players and what were the technologies. The center of the story is Intel, which is the largest and most profitable semiconductor company in the world.
Rating:  Summary: Best book to read for engrs contemplating joining Intel Review: If you are an engineer contemplating joining Intel read this book. You will have one of two reactions afterwards. You will be even more enthusiastic about joining a no nonsense, very well run company, or you will run like hell away from Intel. Take it from me, an Intel newbee, this book lets you know what Intel is all about.
Rating:  Summary: An interesting read, but too dry and narrowly focused Review: If you are really interested in how Intel looks from the inside out and would sacrifice that insight for some dry sections, this book would be good for you. I had high hopes for this book when I started it. From my understanding, there is very little in print about Intel in such a format. The problem is, the book is a bit dry. While it has some interesting high points and a sprinkle of humor, it ends up reading a bit like a coporate history, time-lined by every court case Intel was involved in. There is a wealth of good information, and obviously Tim Jackson spent a lot of time researching this book (and hunting down the people he needed to talk to). It is definitely a unique window into the strategy and corporate culture of Intel that I have never seen nor heard off, but I much more enjoyed reading "Startup" (a history of "Go" - a pen computing company in the 80's) than "Inside Intel". Frankly, it was just better written.
Rating:  Summary: Excellent - The birth of a technology - the INTEL way Review: Inside Intel gives us a rare look into the world of corporate America as we know it today - and a look at a company with a technology that in many ways it literally stumbled upon (some would say stole) but to that end, you sure will have a conclusion of your own after this read.
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