Hi,

In message , B&D
writes

But chip making is a simple, fairly automated process

That's the first time I've ever heard somebody say that chip making is a
simple process. It's not. I've worked for 3 companies that did ASIC
design as a primary part of their business, and I've known some chips
take over three years to design. Once the design is finalised, then the
process of fabricating them is automated, but you have to sell a *lot*
of chips to get your R&D investment back on a design with even modest
complexity. Chips can be cheap because the costs involved get amortised
over a large number of sales, not because you can knock them up with a
hammer and chisel in a garage.

We won't even get in to how much cost is involved in contracting time on
a fabrication line or, heaven forbid, building one.

- and cable making
requires some hand assembly - so go figure! Labor is worth more than the
materials, eh?

.... Not forgetting that some cables are sold for *way* more than they
are worth, even allowing for margin, labour, and painting the little
arrows on.

--
Regards,
Glenn Booth