Funny, the web page doesn't mention the name Micon. But it does list the parts... This is all very fishy... -----Original Message----- From: Michael Rigby-Jones To: 'Lawrence Lile' Date: Monday, July 19, 1999 9:55 AM Subject: RE: Illegal???? Micon Knockoff of PICs - >Try http://www.g-alantic.com.tw/IC-products.htm > >How many people remember the errmm....bizzare gentleman that announced these >products on the list some time back? > >Regards > >Mike Rigby-Jones > >> A search for web pages turned up Micon Electronics ltd. in Taiwan, but >> they >> only make a half dozen toys. Could this pipsqueak be Microchip's >> competition??!!??!?!!!!!?? >> >> http://www.micon.com.tw >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Lawrence Lile >> To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU >> Date: Monday, July 19, 1999 8:22 AM >> Subject: Illegal???? Micon Knockoff of PICs - >> >> >> >Dearest Picsters: >> > >> > >> >We recently sent a PIC design to a Korean manufacturer to build. They >> came >> >back with a vastly changed design, including the processor. Here's what >> >they say: >> > >> > >> >>. The CPU is changed from Microchip's PIC16CXX series to Micon's >> >MDT1020/2020 >> >> series. The new IC is from a Taiwan IC company and >> >> is 100% PIC-compatible. >> > >> >"100% comaptible" although the chip we sent over has no onboard brownout >> >protection, although the Micon chip does. Phooey. >> > >> >My Microchip Rep said, a while back, that these knockoffs "May not be >> legal >> >in the US because of patent violations." Of course, he would LIKE them >> to >> >be illegal so he has less competition. Is he right? >> > >> >My question is - is it legal to import the Micon MDT1020 in the US? >> > >> >My second question - should I hang my Korean supplier by his TOES or his >> >NECK?