Main reply here:<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=10873839" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=10873839</a><p>Microcode is a separate issue that&#x27;s debateable. Their CPU hardware, patents, logistics, ecosystem, and branding are real source of revenue. Microcode release might nit hurt them. However, it might contain trade secret methods for utilizing hardware in a clever way that could give competition (mainly startups) an edge. Biggest players, esp AMD, probably already RE&#x27;d it.<p>That said, Im for opening up microcode and even push for microcoded RISC-V. The reason is you can do all kinds of stuff from optimizing algorithms to atomic functions. There were also HLL-to-microcode compilers in the past to make it easier.<p>Look up PALcode on Alpha ISA if you want a nice hybrid, too.