I don't understand what the big deal is. Almost every integrated circuit manufacturer does this because supporting a few big customers is far cheaper than many

I don't understand what the big deal is. Almost every integrated circuit manufacturer does this because supporting a few big customers is far cheaper than many smaller ones especially when you're operating on the cutting edge, a chronic condition for Intel. Google and Facebook will only call support when there is a discernable pattern of failures of processors or in previously verified code and that's the most optimal way for Intel to deal with early problems instead of handling thousands of support calls for intermittent failures in tiny sample sizes. The difference here is that microprocessors are a key piece of IT infrastructure and there are now a few providers that can soak up production of new products for months. For better or worse, economies of scale have always been a natural competitive advantage and Intel's dominant position in the server CPU market doesn't change that calculus, nor obligate them to make their products widely available when they first roll off the fab.