Inside Intel: Andy Grove and the Rise of the World's Most Powerful Chip Company

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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.

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Summary: Intels techniques are not always fair but deserve credit
Review: Intel is the epitome of a giant trying to destroy all that comes in its way.The way Andy Grove and his team destroys opposition reminds one that fairplay is not always seen in business.The way Intel has beaten weaker rivals in its game to dominate the microprocessor industry shows that in this game there are no rules. Various victims of Intels strategy tell their story in this book.However Intel has to be congratulated on the ruthless determination of its core team to dominate the market against all odds and use all possible tactics in this context. The decision to quit memory chip market and enter totally into microprocessors is the most important happenning to Intel and Andy Grove should be given the highest honours for virtually saving the company. Andy Groves, man of the year in 1998 is protrayed as an obsessive man,driven by the urge to compete and totally lacking the basic human natures of sympathy,care and fellow feeling. Whether it is an accurate indicator of Andy Grove is anybody's guess.

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Summary: Excellent book
Review: This book gives an excellent chronologic sequence of beginning and eventual rise of Intel. It is pager turner from the 1st page. Also, gives a very clear visibility to an outsider of how well and menacingly Intel built its empire and business. A great book for anyone interested in knowing the history of Intel and semiconductor sector.

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Summary: Bullseye!
Review: This book is excellently written!! With personal knowledge of the Grove style to personnel management, Mr. Jackson couldn't be more accurate. There were MANY things written in this book regarding the early history that were hazy to me but now I understand much more clearly. It's a great and innovative company in which many people devote themselves and their families too. Unfortunately, it definitely does take it's toll on family lives. One mistake or disagreement in the eyes of someone with power and your long lasting successful career at Intel is doomed for a short life. If you've lost your family along the way as well........then when the shoutings over - you are on you own, literally. Mr. Jackson did a wonderful job of writting such an accurate book with only a few interviews and court documents. This is journalism at its best. A recommended read for anyone who works in the integrated circuit industy (especially at Intel). I think most [people] will be surprised to see how this large Corporation conducts in external and internal business. Intimidation is the key word and burnt out employees are becoming more and more common.

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Summary: Brilliantly clear chronicle of founding of Intel Corporation
Review: Tim Jackson has pieced together a masterfully clear and educational story of Intel's evolution. In the early chapters, Jackson discusses the early leadership decisions (e.g., to assign Grove to Operations and Noyce & Moore to strategy, marketing, and R&D). Jackson follows the evolution of these early decisions through to the present while highlighting critical trajectory changing events. For example, when Noyce initially invited Roger Borovoy to join Intel as legal counsel, Borovoy declined joking that Intel wouldn't need a lawyer of his caliber for some time. Borovoy eventually accepted the offer three years after the company had its IPO and stayed with the company for eight years. The excellence in Jackson writing is seen later when he attributes Borovoy's departure to a Grove's decision to have only four people report to him and assigning Borovoy to report to Larry Hootnick instead of directly to him. Disgruntled (and rightly so, considering how much money the legal dept made for the company) Borovoy left to pursue other opportunities.

In regards to other customer comments to the effect that Jackson does not try to be objective!? Inside Intel is not a technical specifications manual - Inside Intel chronicles the history of the PC CPU chip, how Intel almost single handedly shaped that history and the inside story of how it all came to be... An excellent work by Jackson!

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Summary: Brilliantly clear rendition of the Intel Corporation
Review: Tim Jackson has produced a masterfully clearly and actionable rendition of Intel's evolution. In the early chapters, Jackson paints a tangible picture of the early leadership decisions (e.g., decision to assign Grove to Operations and Noyce & Moore to strategy, marketing, and R&D). Jackson effectively follows the evolution of these early decisions through to present while highlighting critical trajectory changing events along the way.

For example, when Bob Noyce initially invited Roger Borovoy to join Intel as legal counsel, Borovoy declined joking that Intel wouldn't need a lawyer of his horsepower for some time. Borovoy eventually accepted the offer three years after the company went IPO and stayed with Intel for eight years. The excellence in Jackson writing is seen later when he attributes Borovoy's departure to a Grove's decision to have three or four people reporting to him. Borovoy was asked to report to Larry Hootnick instead of directly to Grove. Borovoy left as the result.

Excellent development of critical decision threads over Intel's evolution!

In regards other Amazonian comments to the effect that Jackson does not try to be objective!!!? What book WOULD be interesting if it was objective! We are not reading technical specifications. This book is about history and how Intel shaped it!

I think Jackson did this Tim Jackson has produced a masterfully clearly and actionable rendition of Intel's evolution. In the early chapters, Jackson paints a tangible picture of the early leadership decisions (e.g., decision to assign Grove to Operations and Noyce & Moore to strategy, marketing, and R&D). Jackson effectively follows the evolution of these early decisions through to present while highlighting critical trajectory changing events along the way.

For example, when Bob Noyce initially invited Roger Borovoy to join Intel as legal counsel, Borovoy declined joking that Intel wouldn't need a lawyer of his horsepower for some time. Borovoy eventually accepted the offer three years after the company went IPO and stayed with Intel for eight years. The excellence in Jackson writing is seen later when he attributes Borovoy's departure to a Grove's decision to have three or four people reporting to him. Borovoy was asked to report to Larry Hootnick instead of directly to Grove. Borovoy left as the result.

Excellent development of critical decision threads over Intel's evolution!

In regards other Amazonian comments to the effect that Jackson does not try to be objective!!!? What book WOULD be interesting if it was objective! We are not reading technical specifications. This book is about history and how Intel shaped it!

I think Jackson did this brilliantly clearly!

Rating:
Summary: Brilliantly clear rendition of the Intel Corporation
Review: Tim Jackson has produced a masterfully clearly and actionable rendition of Intel's evolution. In the early chapters, Jackson paints a tangible picture of the early leadership decisions (e.g., decision to assign Grove to Operations and Noyce & Moore to strategy, marketing, and R&D). Jackson effectively follows the evolution of these early decisions through to present while highlighting critical trajectory changing events along the way.

For example, when Bob Noyce initially invited Roger Borovoy to join Intel as legal counsel, Borovoy declined joking that Intel wouldn't need a lawyer of his horsepower for some time. Borovoy eventually accepted the offer three years after the company went IPO and stayed with Intel for eight years. The excellence in Jackson writing is seen later when he attributes Borovoy's departure to a Grove's decision to have three or four people reporting to him. Borovoy was asked to report to Larry Hootnick instead of directly to Grove. Borovoy left as the result.

Excellent development of critical decision threads over Intel's evolution!

In regards other Amazonian comments to the effect that Jackson does not try to be objective!!!? What book WOULD be interesting if it was objective! We are not reading technical specifications. This book is about history and how Intel shaped it!

I think Jackson did this Tim Jackson has produced a masterfully clearly and actionable rendition of Intel's evolution. In the early chapters, Jackson paints a tangible picture of the early leadership decisions (e.g., decision to assign Grove to Operations and Noyce & Moore to strategy, marketing, and R&D). Jackson effectively follows the evolution of these early decisions through to present while highlighting critical trajectory changing events along the way.

For example, when Bob Noyce initially invited Roger Borovoy to join Intel as legal counsel, Borovoy declined joking that Intel wouldn't need a lawyer of his horsepower for some time. Borovoy eventually accepted the offer three years after the company went IPO and stayed with Intel for eight years. The excellence in Jackson writing is seen later when he attributes Borovoy's departure to a Grove's decision to have three or four people reporting to him. Borovoy was asked to report to Larry Hootnick instead of directly to Grove. Borovoy left as the result.

Excellent development of critical decision threads over Intel's evolution!

In regards other Amazonian comments to the effect that Jackson does not try to be objective!!!? What book WOULD be interesting if it was objective! We are not reading technical specifications. This book is about history and how Intel shaped it!

I think Jackson did this brilliantly clearly!

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Summary: Excellent book
Review: unlike most books on corporate america or stories about how exceptional american, against all odds, achieved exceptional things, this book did not do the typical left wing liberal spin to curse corporate america or give the same old same old "capitalism is evil" speech. the narratives detailed how a group of americans, in particular Noyce, Moore and Grove, took risk and boldly "go out and do something" (to quote Noyce) which eventually created wealth for himself/herself, for the employees and for many many people around the world (intel's employees and investors locate all over the world). these are people who in Anthony Robbins' definition as people who made positive difference in a lot of peoples' life. great book, extremely motivating. five star.

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Summary: The Birth Of A Processor Manifests The End Of The USSR
Review: Very nice book about the US semiconductor industry. It gives us a rare look into the world of corporate America. Very interesting, well-written, and non-technical. Anyone with an interest in the entrepreneurship and computer industry would enjoy this book. This book provides many interesting and some uninteresting details about Intel's history.

This book can give an authentic taste both of the history of ingenuity and energy inside Intel. Mr. Jackson did a wonderful job! But there's a little too much on Intel's battles with AMD and not enough on its unique relationship with Microsoft.

May be you never believe it, that such a small silicon thing as Intel's microprocessor was a one of the main media to manifest the impotence of the communist regime in the USSR. In fact, I'm sure this technology turned out more dangerous for the Soviet Union than Reagan's Star Wars.