Ask A Scientist© Computer Science Archive

Index Key:  CSI005
Author:     Aaron Oberlander
Subject:    Why not 80586 and instead Pentium?
Text:       Hello, I would just like to find out if I am right or not.  Is the 
reason that the new (586) is called the P5, because they could not patent the 
number (586)?  Therefore, they called it the Pentium 5, or something like 
that.  Thanks again.

Response #: 1 of 1
Author:     Daniel Lee Luchinski
Text:       The reason that Intel has broken with the x86 numbering scheme and 
named their new microprocessor the Pentium is because the name Pentium can be 
trademarked.  With competitors such as Advanced Micro Devices and Cyrix 
calling their somewhat compatible chips 386s and 486s, Intel has decided to 
use the name Pentium to replace the x86 numbering scheme.  Now, computer 
buyers will not need an "Intel Inside" sticker to know that the computer they 
are buying has an Intel microprocessor.