ATI leaked slides: offical response from Patti Mikula

Zardon · Sep 26, 2003, 12:32 AM

ATI's Patti Mikula, Public Relations Manager (Desktop Products):

A competitor is distributing select slides from an internal ATI presentation which, out of context, can portray ATI in a negative light. To clarify our stance on developer relations, ATI offers the following comment:

ATI encourages game developers to adopt new industry standards. Benchmarks that use standard APIs - or almost any benchmark that reflects real-world game play - show ATI products in a good light because our performance is much faster than competing products in any standard code path. However, ATI's interests are aligned with those of gamers. Industry standard APIs, such as DirectX 9, allow developers more time to concentrate on game play and developing new features. Standard APIs help them incorporate the latest and best graphics into their games and get them into the hands of gamers more quickly.

Unfortunately whoever is distributing this presentation chose not to include the remaining slides in the deck which explain our position more clearly. In fact, the very next slide comprised these points:

ATI is making a long term investment spending resources wisely on industry standards to ensure all current and future games and other applications will run well

- ATI hardware is future proof.

ATI is focusing on the open standards that developers are also working towards.
-The best performance with all games not just a selection.
-Top performance across all benchmarks.

ATI is building long term relationships with co-operation, communication, co-ordination, consideration and trust.
-Developers adopt features faster to create more demand for upgrading.
-Future proof hardware
-Less support calls.

-More sales and positive reviews - due to reputation for games working out of the box.

Mac Daddy · Sep 26, 2003, 02:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Zardon
ATI's Patti Mikula, Public Relations Manager (Desktop Products):
Unfortunately whoever is distributing this presentation chose not to include the remaining slides in the deck which explain our position more clearly. In fact, the very next slide comprised these points:

ATI is making a long term investment spending resources wisely on industry standards to ensure all current and future games and other applications will run well

- ATI hardware is future proof.

ATI is focusing on the open standards that developers are also working towards.
-The best performance with all games not just a selection.
-Top performance across all benchmarks.

ATI is building long term relationships with co-operation, communication, co-ordination, consideration and trust.
-Developers adopt features faster to create more demand for upgrading.
-Future proof hardware
-Less support calls.

-More sales and positive reviews - due to reputation for games working out of the box.

Nicely posted Zardon and well said Patti Mikula .. one thing I noticed when I visited ATI ..
NO EXCUSES .. just info based on facts ..

The way it should be

ATI works with the end users .. and websites such as Driverheaven and Rage3d on feedback ..
I am an ATI Beta tester .. and currently on a leave of absence ..

My first focus tonight ... a PM from Terry "Catalyst Maker" Makedon ....
"Glad you got the new betas .. I love the piccy .... On HV"
http://www.hardwareheaven.com/showthre...threadid=26466

Well Enough said .. ATI ROCKS !!!

Vengeance · Sep 26, 2003, 03:19 AM

Yes now if only all websites out there, would simply wait and take there time to check things out.

Mac Daddy · Sep 26, 2003, 03:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Vengeance
Yes now if only all websites out there, would simply wait and take there time to check things out.

[size=large][color=red]AGREED !!![/color][/size]

Furious · Sep 26, 2003, 03:48 PM

Thanks Zardon. We always know that you'll present the full story after taking the time to figure out what's really going on.

BWX · Sep 27, 2003, 06:17 PM

I like to keep an open mind. I think ATI is a fairly honest company that deserves to be where it is in the industry. They make good product, they charge a fair price, they have good support.

But the statement "Influence benchmarks in ATI's favor" does not sit well with me. I can see why people are shocked to see that.

I read the response- but that line is hard to explain away. It just sounds like what the "competition" already did, and were crucified for.

I just hope it is really a miscommunication, and not an organized effort to "Influence benchmarks"-

Mac Daddy · Sep 28, 2003, 03:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BWX232
I like to keep an open mind. I think ATI is a fairly honest company that deserves to be where it is in the industry. They make good product, they charge a fair price, they have good support.

But the statement "Influence benchmarks in ATI's favor" does not sit well with me. I can see why people are shocked to see that.

I read the response- but that line is hard to explain away. It just sounds like what the "competition" already did, and were crucified for.

I just hope it is really a miscommunication, and not an organized effort to "Influence benchmarks"-

Ahh DUDE no it isn't .........
OK here we go and wish not to repeat this ....
Holding myself responsible ...
(I did not hear this anywhere else)
[size=large][color=red]NVIDIA .. STOP .. F@@King cheating on benchmarks !![/color][/size]

un-named source

BWX · Sep 28, 2003, 03:28 AM

Hehe, well, even if ATI did ever cheat (or "optimize"), it was because they had to because they were competing against cheaters... and couldn't be the one to "call them out" on it - they had to wait for someone else to do it, or look bad until that time.

I think everyone learned a good lesson from a "certain" company's tactics in the benchmarking world.

Sep 26, 2003, 12:32 AM	#1
Zardon DriverHeaven Founder Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 32,480 Rep Power: 177	ATI leaked slides: offical response from Patti Mikula ATI's Patti Mikula, Public Relations Manager (Desktop Products): A competitor is distributing select slides from an internal ATI presentation which, out of context, can portray ATI in a negative light. To clarify our stance on developer relations, ATI offers the following comment: ATI encourages game developers to adopt new industry standards. Benchmarks that use standard APIs - or almost any benchmark that reflects real-world game play - show ATI products in a good light because our performance is much faster than competing products in any standard code path. However, ATI's interests are aligned with those of gamers. Industry standard APIs, such as DirectX 9, allow developers more time to concentrate on game play and developing new features. Standard APIs help them incorporate the latest and best graphics into their games and get them into the hands of gamers more quickly. Unfortunately whoever is distributing this presentation chose not to include the remaining slides in the deck which explain our position more clearly. In fact, the very next slide comprised these points: ATI is making a long term investment spending resources wisely on industry standards to ensure all current and future games and other applications will run well - ATI hardware is future proof. ATI is focusing on the open standards that developers are also working towards. -The best performance with all games not just a selection. -Top performance across all benchmarks. ATI is building long term relationships with co-operation, communication, co-ordination, consideration and trust. -Developers adopt features faster to create more demand for upgrading. -Future proof hardware -Less support calls. -More sales and positive reviews - due to reputation for games working out of the box.

Sep 26, 2003, 03:19 AM	#3
Vengeance DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Fort Worth TX Posts: 643 Rep Power: 0	Yes now if only all websites out there, would simply wait and take there time to check things out. __________________ [color=red]Rage3D Super Moderator[/color] [color=red]BFG 6800 GT [/color]

Sep 26, 2003, 03:48 PM	#5
Furious I'm blind not deaf!! Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 260 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	Thanks Zardon. We always know that you'll present the full story after taking the time to figure out what's really going on. __________________

Sep 27, 2003, 06:17 PM	#6
BWX unplugged Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: USNY Posts: 19,665 Rep Power: 109 System Specs	I like to keep an open mind. I think ATI is a fairly honest company that deserves to be where it is in the industry. They make good product, they charge a fair price, they have good support. But the statement "Influence benchmarks in ATI's favor" does not sit well with me. I can see why people are shocked to see that. I read the response- but that line is hard to explain away. It just sounds like what the "competition" already did, and were crucified for. I just hope it is really a miscommunication, and not an organized effort to "Influence benchmarks"- __________________

Sep 28, 2003, 03:28 AM	#8
BWX unplugged Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: USNY Posts: 19,665 Rep Power: 109 System Specs	Hehe, well, even if ATI did ever cheat (or "optimize"), it was because they had to because they were competing against cheaters... and couldn't be the one to "call them out" on it - they had to wait for someone else to do it, or look bad until that time. I think everyone learned a good lesson from a "certain" company's tactics in the benchmarking world. __________________