> In this months Everyday Practical Electronics (February 98) the magazine
> contacted MicroChip's UK office - they deny that the 16C84 is being
> deleted, or any other chips in the PIC range. So who knows?.

I doubt that Microchip will be deleting the 16C84 from their product line
any time soon, but since it's more expensive than the 16F84 (which does
basically the same thing) it's quite possible that many distributors like
Digi-Key might cease carrying the part.

Side note: the Texas Instruments 32C052 and 32BC052 are essentially the same
chip, except that the latter will enter a boot-load ROM if the MC/MP pin is
strapped; the former's behavior in that case is undefined.  While the former
(non-bootload) part used to be cheaper, it's now been discontinued except for
special orders.  I would not be at all surprised if the only difference bet-
ween the currently-shipping 32C052's and 32BC052's was the silk screened part
number.  Of course, there are enough differences going from 16C84->16F84 that
MChip can't QUITE do that, but pretty close...