It's a reasonable strategy in that it avoids the simultaneous debugging of a new architecture on a new process. This allows them to isolate process related issu

It's a reasonable strategy in that it avoids the simultaneous debugging of a new architecture on a new process. This allows them to isolate process related issues and get a stable definition using a known good architecture. They are in effect selling their test chip or "pipe cleaner" and preparing for a jump to a new architecture.