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The Meaning Behind Intel Code Names?

Posted by Cliff on from the have-fun-with-it dept.

Scozza asks: "In the name of science and decency, we have been trying to find the meanings of the code names used by Intel for their processors. The only problem is that we can't find links to a couple of names and would really appreciate it if Slashdot could help fill the blanks!"

2 of 84 comments (clear)

  1. As a former Intel employee... by Brad+Siemssen · · Score: 5, Interesting
    I can authoritatively state that Intel code names are meaningless.

    All Intel code names are names of some geographical place because geographical locations can not be trademarked. There is no inner meaning, that is by design.

    Intel legal has to approve every code name before it is used, to make sure code names don't match up with someone's trademarked name. Because the code names are used in trade press to talk about upcoming products, they are subject to trademark law. Because Intel makes lots of money, they are subject to legal colonoscopy.

    The official process to name something entails the following actions:

    1. Open up MapQuest
    2. Find some geographical names.
    3. Compile the list of names into an email to Intel legal.
    4. Pray Intel legal picks one of the names you suggested.
    5. Name the project whatever Intel legal tells you in the emailed reply. If you're really lucky it will be one you suggested.
    Cheers!
  2. Tualain is a valley by kingbyu · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I'm rather disappointed in many of the responses I've seen here. It seems like most people just googled answers, rather than actually knowing. For example, an earlier post said:
    Tualain is also a burb of Portland
    While this is true, I live in Hillsboro along with several thousand other Intel-ites, and Hillsboro is the tualatin valley, which was named after that tualatin river.

    Interestingly enough, as I was taught in elementary school, tualatin is a Native American word meaning lazy or slow moving, as the tualatin river doesn't go very fast. I wonder if Intel thought about this when trying to come up with the name.