For weeks after the Intel Corporation announced the division problem with its Pentium chip, jokes, puns and top-ten lists flooded the Internet.

But to some, it was not a laughing matter.

Although Brian Zawacki (junior-computer science) got an "A" in numerical analysis last semester, a chip smaller than a dime could have lowered his grade.

With homework answers to the 15th decimal place, an error in the ability of Intel's Pentium chip to do some division problems could have thrown off Zawacki's calculations.

"I was the butt of a few jokes, but it really wasn't a problem," said Zawacki, president of the Association of Computing Machinery.

Zawacki's professor, Jesse Barlow, said at least 10 students in his class of 40 students came to talk to him about the Pentium processor.

A microprocessor is an integrated circuit that functions as the computer's brain, overseeing every operation the computer performs. The Pentium chip is one of the fastest microprocessors on the market and Intel chips power about 80 percent of personal computers, Intel spokesperson Howard High said.

The chip is widely used, but the flaw that causes the rare division error exists in all Pentium chips manufactured before late last year.

Intel, based in Santa Clara, Calif., said the problem would only occur once every 27,000 years, but IBM said it could happen every 24 days.

The Center for Academic Computing posted notices on the University's electronic bulletin boards about the Pentium problem, said Dan Bernitt, senior research associate for the center. But he does not think the error will affect anyone.

"You should never believe anything that comes out of a computer until you do some checking and some real scientific eyeballing that these numbers are reasonable," he said.

In addition to hardware errors such as the Pentium problem, more common problems such as software errors and viruses can affect calculations, Bernitt said.

He believes the Internet was flooded with Pentium puns because it was the first time everyday users found out about computer errors.

"Almost everyone has a personal computer today. That wasn't true 10 years ago," he said.

Through a personal computer, Jake Miller (junior-business logistics) printed out Pentium jokes from the Internet to decorate his door in Atherton Hall.

"We take joy from the suffering of others," he said jokingly.

Students often see this joke when they log on to one of the many electronic bulletin boards at the University:

Question: "What do you get when you cross a Pentium PC with a research grant?"

Answer: "A mad scientist."

That description could apply to Math Professor Thomas Nicely at Lynchburg College in Virginia. Nicely was running five computers day-and-night for his research in number theory.

When he compared some of his results against known values, he said they did not match. First he checked the math, then the software. He said he even looked over the hard drive.

"I came to the conclusion that it had to be the Pentium chip," he said.

Nicely called Intel on Oct. 24. Six days later, when he still had not received an answer, he posted his problem on the Internet.

Intel researchers discovered the problem during the summer but did not notify the public because they determined the error was unlikely to occur with normal use, High said. The company fixed the problem and Pentium chips no longer contain the flaw.

While the flaw may be minor, Intel's public relations problem has been major. A joke on the Internet reads:

Question: What's another name for the "Intel Inside" sticker they put on Pentiums?

Answer: The warning label.

Intel has spent $150 million on an aggressive "Intel Inside" campaign aimed at drawing consumers' attention to the microprocessor inside the computer rather than the name on the box.

Companies such as Compaq, IBM, Gateway 2000 and Hewlett Packard use the chip in some models, High said.

Initially, Intel offered to replace the chip for customers whose work would be affected by the error. But some people interpreted that policy to mean they had to prove their work required a new chip, High said.

Since Dec. 20, Pentium has automatically replaced the chip, but customers must give a credit card number as a security deposit until they return the old chip within 30 days.

The company wants the chips returned to prevent illegal resale and to avoid confusion between the old and new chips. Not returning the chip can result in paying $495 to $995, High said.

Michael Tarone, a sales representative for Computer Exchange and Rental Center, 248 W. Hamilton Ave., said consumers are not buying Pentium-based computers as much as other types.

"We've been finding in general that people have been looking toward computers without the chip. Generally speaking, the Pentium machines are pretty expensive so I'm not so sure it's the Pentium chip," he said. "But some people are concerned about the math calculation."

At Computer Exchange, a basic Pentium-based machine costs about $2,300. A basic comparable but slower-running computer costs about $1,300, Tarone said.

"The average person coming through the door doesn't necessarily need Pentium power," he said. "It's the scientific community who's doing precise measurements that is having a problem. It's when you get to the ninth decimal place that you have problems."

The jokes on the Internet are dying out, but the company still faces problems with customer confidence in Intel. High said customers have filed seven class-action lawsuits across the nation.

"We feel the Intel Inside logo is a positive one," High said. "I don't think that's been impacted."

Despite optimism at Intel, a person on the Internet suggested a new Pentium slogan: Redefining the PC -- and Mathematics As Well.