Magnitude 7.4 Earthquake in Taiwan Halts Production at TSMC and Other Foundries

[TheLostSwede]

It's still in Taiwan. I thought we were discussing the potential repercussions of an event that could significantly restrict the operations of the country's fabs. Anyway, it would be massive.

Yes, but it's so far from the epicentre that it wouldn't have been any worse than the earthquakes that pound Taiwan at a regular basis.
TSMC obviously builds their fabs to be able to handle the regular earthquakes, or they would've been out of business a long time ago.

 

[starfals]

I just hope for 3 things:
1 Everyone is okay
2 China wont get any ideas... you know what i mean.
3 GPU/CPU prices wont go up a ton.

 

[R-T-B]

Well, at least THIS time, they have a legitimate reason for production interruptions, unlike the usually suspect "factory fire/flood/power failure" which has been used by other companies in the past to jack up prices and trigger the supply/demand greed-mongering

But OTOH, hopefully everyone who may have been injured or requiring assistance got it quickly and will recover asap...

Honestly I feel nearly all those have legit events as well (no fooling local fire/whatever authorities), its the reaction to the event then that can be seen as iffy.

 

[remixedcat]

This is why we need more fabs here in the USA, YESTERDAY!!

 

[mechtech]

This is why we need more fabs here in the USA, YESTERDAY!!

In San Fran!!!!!!!!

 

[WonkoTheSaneUK]

In San Fran!!!!!!!!

Just in time for "The BIG one"!

(By which I mean that SF might not be the most "earthquake-proof" part of the USA to build a chip fab)

 

[Ahhzz]

Several people in this thread.... disappoint me. We understand there will be a technological effect from this earthquake. Factory productions have been halted, and an impact on pricing cannot be avoided. That's the technology side of things. But to completely and callously dismiss the impact on people's lives and make jokes about it... You people can do better. Be better.

 

[Slizzo]

This is why we need more fabs here in the USA, YESTERDAY!!

That's what the CHIPS act has been all about, of course. Unfortunately it takes time to build these facilities out, and train people to run them.

 

[remixedcat]

That's what the CHIPS act has been all about, of course. Unfortunately it takes time to build these facilities out, and train people to run them.

Intel keeps pushing the Ohio date over and over tho...

Just in time for "The BIG one"!

(By which I mean that SF might not be the most "earthquake-proof" part of the USA to build a chip fab)

Ohio and Appalachia are the best areas cuz we're cheaper, more and cheaper land, lower taxes, and easier weather and no fault lines...

 

[bug]

Ohio and Appalachia are the best areas cuz we're cheaper, more and cheaper land, lower taxes, and easier weather and no fault lines...

Geography certainly helps, but everything else is not a clear plus. See how Musk built his Gigafactory in the middle of nowhere only to find out later he has to shuttle talent all the way there.

 

[remixedcat]

Geography certainly helps, but everything else is not a clear plus. See how Musk built his Gigafactory in the middle of nowhere only to find out later he has to shuttle talent all the way there.

but california and the west coast in general is getting very expensive and increasingly volatile... Biggest exodus is west coast states since they are so pricey. Also there's talent in more places than california. Most of those people can't afford to move and are stuck w crappy jobs to get them by, like me, I'm really good with IT stuff but no IT jobs in my area, no way to move to a "better state" without me downgrading my living situation (fully paid off 4BR2BA 2K sqft house) to the point I'm sleeping in a literal closet cuz I can't even keep 400 in my bank account. Many are in my exact situation here that have a lot of skills but nobody wants to give us a chance and they think we are all dumb hillbillies when we aren't all like that. Most companies are not WFH friendly since it's "post covid" now... so that leaves people like me with little choices...

 

[bug]

but california and the west coast in general is getting very expensive and increasingly volatile... Biggest exodus is west coast states since they are so pricey. Also there's talent in more places than california. Most of those people can't afford to move and are stuck w crappy jobs to get them by, like me, I'm really good with IT stuff but no IT jobs in my area, no way to move to a "better state" without me downgrading my living situation (fully paid off 4BR2BA 2K sqft house) to the point I'm sleeping in a literal closet cuz I can't even keep 400 in my bank account. Many are in my exact situation here that have a lot of skills but nobody wants to give us a chance and they think we are all dumb hillbillies when we aren't all like that. Most companies are not WFH friendly since it's "post covid" now... so that leaves people like me with little choices...

I didn't say it's a bad idea. just that the problem is complex and some things can be both pros and cons, depending on which aspect matters most. Full disclosure: since I haven't built a fab myself, I don't know what matters the most.

 

[mav1178]

so far the toll is 9 dead about 1000 injured, and virtually everyone I know in Taiwan (probably 500-1000+ people) have gone about their regular long weekend routines...

the number one thing that is being talked about over there right now, including on my various Line chat groups over there, is "how come there is so little damage?"

https://www.npr.org/2024/04/04/1242721841/taiwan-emerges-remarkably-unscathed-after-massive-earthquake

 

[droopyRO]

2 China wont get any ideas... you know what i mean.

Well, i heard that they already did some "exercises". Most likely to probe and test the Taiwanese military response in a crysis.

 

[bonehead123]

Well, i heard that they already did some "exercises". Most likely to probe and test the Taiwanese military response in a crysis.

They've been doing that for a while, and will continue to do so in the future, according to someone I know who knows someone who has knowledge of these things, who says that the probing/testing is the REAL crysis, because the info gained is used for the planning & preparations of other actions

 

[droopyRO]

They've been doing that for a while, and will continue to do so in the future, according to someone I know who knows someone who has knowledge of these things, who says that the probing/testing is the REAL crysis, because the info gained is used for the planning & preparations of other actions

All major players do that, ever since the end of WW2 and the start of the Cold War until today, and will continue as long as we have the technology to do it. Stuff like this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_HOMERUN
/offtopic

 

[ThrashZone]

Several people in this thread.... disappoint me. We understand there will be a technological effect from this earthquake. Factory productions have been halted, and an impact on pricing cannot be avoided. That's the technology side of things. But to completely and callously dismiss the impact on people's lives and make jokes about it... You people can do better. Be better.

Hi,
At least there's an update

Micron Provides Update Following Earthquake in Taiwan

Micron Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: MU) today reported that following the earthquake that struck Taiwan on April 3, 2024, all of Micron's team members have been accounted for and reported to be safe. Our thoughts are with those affected and their families. We are evaluating impact to our operations...

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