I run an x2 4200+; I hardly consider it crappy.

Sounds like AMD is becoming Dell's bitch

Reported supply-shortages are distinctly not good for AMD's bottom-line in the current quarter, since they have had to viciously cut prices on their most-profitable parts to compete with Intel's Core and Core2 offerings. (BTW, AMD reports their last quarter's results @ 17:30 ET today.)

"But AMD's next generation processors may change that again."

I wonder if that DELL rep knows something we don't.

The reason that AMD processors are so scarce in supply is because they are going into PCs that are sold to people who could not care less what processor goes into them, just so long as they run. Previously, the fabrication of the processors used in these PCs would have been handled by Intel, but since Dell is now using AMD's processors, AMD is using a QoS-like approach to ensure that Dell has no problems with getting processors, at the expense of everyone else.

Since demand for AMD processors outside of Dell has been waning since the introduction of the Core 2 Duo, eventually, AMD's existing fabrication capacity should meet demand, barring any increases in demand from Dell, which probably will happen, as their low-end product line becomes completely dominated by AMD processors, which appears to be what is happening.