Intel pays $10,000 for old magazine

Intel pays $10,000 for old magazine
Written by Ravdeep Hora cooltechzone.com
Sunday, 24 April 2005

--- Intel Corp., world’s largest chipmaker, posted a reward for a 40-year old April 1965 issue of Electronics magazine earlier this month; the chipmaker rewarded an Engineer who still had the near-mint condition copy with $10,000.
Intel wanted the magazine because it contained an accurate forecast of the company’s co-founder, Gordon Moore, who predicted the exponential growth of chip performance 40 years prior to the changes. His forecast has been nicknamed as Moore’s Law, which has a reputation in the $200 billion chip industry.

Intel posted the information on eBay, world’s largest auction site, which led to about two-dozen leads, according to Intel. Intel said majority of the leads were reprinted copies, photocopies or originals that were attached to other publications.

While Intel was confirming leads, an Engineer was searching around his house and managed to find his original copy of the magazine under his floorboards. David Clark, who resides in Surrey, England said, "It is the most bizarre thing that has ever happened to me," in an interview with BBC.

Intel’s $10,000 announcement had librarians around the United States worried about their archived issues. Many libraries had their issues put away securely and out of public displays before bounty hunters stormed facilities in search of the magazine. Numerous librarians are infuriated about Intel’s decision. Although many libraries were able to put their copies away safely, the library of University of Illinois was one of the unfortunate ones who had one of its copies stolen in hopes of the bounty. It did manage to secure its second copy, though.

Intel said it received two other leads with authentic copies, but neither of them was comparative to Clark’s copy, quality wise.

The chipmaker said it will display the magazine in its company headquarters Museum for public display in Santa Clara, California next week. The company also said that it might purchase more copies: one for archival purposes for the museum and another one for Gordon Moore himself who lost his copy after lending it to someone.