Don't forget the improvement in the design rules in the fabs as well -- the minimum distance between traces can be dramatically reduced safely compared to the p

Don't forget the improvement in the design rules in the fabs as well -- the minimum distance between traces can be dramatically reduced safely compared to the past, as (presumably) can be the digital resolution of the gerbers (i.e. curved traces, however horrible to the eyes of some EEs, are allowed!). Also, yuckies such as via-under-pad and the like are all now commonly accepted (but I didn't see any on his layout).