>>What am I missing here? I don't see the disadvantage
>>of being able to use these two pins as standard I/O
>>when I don't use the ICD2 or a serial programmer. You
>>don't /have/ to use them as I/O... You can think of
>>the current devices of not having those pins
>>multiplexed, and just not use the I/O feature.

> Essentially what happens is that on the 44 pin TQFP package, where there are
> normally a number of NC pins, the ICD/ICSP pins are de-multiplexed from the
> I/O pins and brought out separately.

I didn't know that they were placed on pins that previously were NC. That's
an obvious advantage then... I was thinking of cases with all pins
occupied.

Thanks,
Gerhard

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