Intel to stop using "Conflict Materials"- Urges the industry to change

[WYP]

At CES Intel vowed to no longer use materials mined from conflict zones to build its microprocessors, Intel's chief executive Brian Krzanich urged the "entire industry" to follow suit

As all of you guys are well aware materials like Gold, tungsten and other minerals. Usually these are mined in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and surrounding countries, where the production of materials can often be controlled by armed groups.

Intel's policy changes stem from increased international pressure for it and other technology firms to investigate the sources of their raw minerals.

Intel now claim that all their microprocessors it will ship in 2014 will be "conflict free".

Brian Krzanich said;

We felt an obligation to implement changes in our supply chain to ensure that our business and our products were not inadvertently funding human atrocities

What do you guys think of this? It is certainly a good thing that Intel are trying to prevent conflict materials being used in their production facilities, but do you think they should have done this sooner before they had to be pressured into it? Please comment below.

Source - BBC NEWS

 

[barnsley]

Non conflict doesn't mean not buying from countries that are just as bad.
Also this made me laugh:

At the same keynote session, Intel also announced it would be scrapping the McAfee anti-virus brand name and replacing it with Intel Security.
Software rebrand The move is intended to sever the connection to the software's eponymous founder, John McAfee, who has been mired in legal troubles, and has confessed to extensive drug use.
But Mr McAfee told the BBC he was was elated by Intel's decision.
"I am now everlastingly grateful to Intel for freeing me from this terrible association with the worst software on the planet," he said.
"These are not my words, but the words of millions of irate users."
Last year Mr McAfee released a video showing how to "uninstall" the firm's anti-virus software by blasting a laptop with a bullet.

 

[Dicehunter]

The reason behind buying materials from the conflict regions is the simple fact that it is cheaper than other places.
I wager most companies won't do this as that means they will have to shell out more cash to buy from more reputable sources which would put their profits down.

 

[Remmy]

Even of prices go up slightly, at least it's seemingly more ethical now, like fairtrade bananas

To be honest though, I wish they'd vow to stop using the worst thermal paste imaginable on the die of their CPUs

 

[Wraith]

What I find scary is that the CIA have a country resource list

 

[hmmblah]

What I find scary is that the CIA have a country resource list

lol @ some items on that list:

Virgin Islands: sun, sand, sea, surf

The World: the rapid depletion of nonrenewable mineral resources, the depletion of forest areas and wetlands, the extinction of animal and plant species, and the deterioration in air and water quality (especially in some countries of Eastern Europe, the former USSR, and China) pose serious long-term problems that governments and peoples are only beginning to address