EPISODE · May 5, 2026 · 17 MIN
The Crash That Saved Christmas
from Code Curiosities · host Podcaster
In 1994, a seemingly innocent typo in a single line of Intel's Pentium chip code created a calculator that couldn't do math—and nearly destroyed the company that ruled computing. This is the story of how a professor's spreadsheet, millions of angry customers, and one very expensive recall taught the tech world that even the tiniest bugs can have billion-dollar consequences. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
What this episode covers
In 1994, a seemingly innocent typo in a single line of Intel's Pentium chip code created a calculator that couldn't do math—and nearly destroyed the company that ruled computing. This is the story of how a professor's spreadsheet, millions of angry customers, and one very expensive recall taught the tech world that even the tiniest bugs can have billion-dollar consequences.
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The Crash That Saved Christmas
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