>1) All the other vendors have already gone flash. Not Microchip. My
>   customers want to know why we cannot just reprogram (I mean everybody
>   does it, right?). When I politely try to explain to them that
>Microchip
>   chose not to go flash when they should have, they tell me : "We don't
>   give a damn" This is a valid attitude.

There is an alternative that I use - I get the program right the first time
(well, _almost_ the first time <G>).  If the idea is to provide one set of
hardware to perform multiple software functions, this can also be handled
as the final step of assembly, where it should be.

>2) All the PICs out there already have ICE capability built-in on the
>   silicon. Why not use it?

Well, for one reason IT TAKES I/O!!!  I _like_ to have 13 useful pins on an
18-pin device, not 13 useful pins on a 28-pin one.

>3) After spending a fortune on development tools and learning curves, I
>   expect a silicon company to at least stay in the race.

How about a 25MHz ICE?  Is that somehow _not_ staying in the race?

>4) If we are understaffed, we hire more people. When Microchip are
>   understaffed, they bring out a "roadmap into the future". This is
>   nothing other than damage control. Microchip have more vice
>presidents
>   than the damn UN, but obviously not enough engineers.

When some people are proven wrong, they write long e-mails...

>If you want to continue this discussion, go private.

But then the newer folks on the list won't benefit from the experience of
engineers who _know_ their stuff.  I suggest it all be public for the
benefit of everyone who reads the thread.

Andy

==================================================================
Andy Kunz - Montana Design - 409 S 6th St - Phillipsburg, NJ 08865
          Hardware & Software for Industry & R/C Hobbies
        "Go fast, turn right, and keep the wet side down!"
==================================================================