3 ms·

> Running a fab is not like running a cat video website, or making a cookie cutter electronics from reference designs. You're squaring up against a stickman.

> Running a fab is not like running a cat video website, or making a cookie cutter electronics from reference designs. You're squaring up against a stickman. The companies cited are not fly-by-night startups "running a cat video website". Dave Cutler got his start on the factory floor, working out better processes for a toilet paper manufacturer. Apple has plenty of hardware chops and the vertical integration bug. Google shook up telecoms by scaring the shit out of the industry incumbents (although they could have stood to get their hands dirtier, Cutler-style[1], and stay in the game). Although none of this is necessary. The fruit hangs so low here that all it would take is someone half competent who can see the enormous gains to be had by just not doing so many things in the dumbest way possible. This isn't bleeding edge stuff. We're talking catching up on things that that wouldn't even be considered state-of-the-art 25 years ago. Hell, they could start just by drastically cutting back on how many hires they source from the defense industry and have had their minds warped by (and numb to) the bureaucracy and bottomless budgets from that world. > if there is a company which can turn off the lights on a dotcom companies like them, it will be a big fab business Not a chance. The semiconductor industry, perversely, has no idea how to put computers to use, and the leadership and organizational structures are aligned against that kind of achievement ever coming from within (or being airdropped in by a leadership hire who cuts across the lanes from another industry) and making the top-down sweeping changes that would be required. 1. https://youtu.be/J2GV_bCfnCw?t=171 https://youtu.be/J2GV_bCfnCw?t=171

baybal2 6y ago
> Not a chance. The semiconductor industry, perversely, has no idea how to put computers to use, and the leadership and organizational structures are aligned against that kind of achievement ever coming from within (or being airdropped in by a leadership hire who cuts across the lanes from another industry) and making the necessary top-down sweeping changes). I've seen attitudes like this in the industry many times, and every time such "bright idea man" comes, a previously well faring company dies. Take a look at Sun Micro, people now will never believe that they once had ambitions to "corner" the server/internet market the very same way those bright "financial strategist" boys suggesting chip companies to "go undercut this, and that, and we will own the Internet!"
- pwdisswordfish0 6y ago
  > every time such "bright idea man" comes You're ignoring everything I'm saying. (Probably because you don't want to consider the idea that emperor really isn't wearing any spiffy new clothes.) We're not talking about bright ideas. We're talking about dumb, dead simple ideas. Dumber than UPS's fabled "let's try to minimize how much time we waste on left turns". Go watch that Dave Cutler clip and pay attention to what he says near the end of the video about being a leader and about there being no task too small when it comes to getting the job done.
  - perl4ever 6y ago
    "let's try to minimize how much time we waste on left turns" A tangent, but I would really like Google Maps, or some viable substitute to permit "only right turns" as an option. There are routes where every time it wants me to make a left onto a busy highway from a side street with no traffic light. Knowing where the lights are would be one solution, but "only right turns" wouldn't depend on data.

baybal2 6y ago

> Not a chance. The semiconductor industry, perversely, has no idea how to put computers to use, and the leadership and organizational structures are aligned against that kind of achievement ever coming from within (or being airdropped in by a leadership hire who cuts across the lanes from another industry) and making the necessary top-down sweeping changes). I've seen attitudes like this in the industry many times, and every time such "bright idea man" comes, a previously well faring company dies. Take a look at Sun Micro, people now will never believe that they once had ambitions to "corner" the server/internet market the very same way those bright "financial strategist" boys suggesting chip companies to "go undercut this, and that, and we will own the Internet!"

pwdisswordfish0 6y ago
> every time such "bright idea man" comes You're ignoring everything I'm saying. (Probably because you don't want to consider the idea that emperor really isn't wearing any spiffy new clothes.) We're not talking about bright ideas. We're talking about dumb, dead simple ideas. Dumber than UPS's fabled "let's try to minimize how much time we waste on left turns". Go watch that Dave Cutler clip and pay attention to what he says near the end of the video about being a leader and about there being no task too small when it comes to getting the job done.
- perl4ever 6y ago
  "let's try to minimize how much time we waste on left turns" A tangent, but I would really like Google Maps, or some viable substitute to permit "only right turns" as an option. There are routes where every time it wants me to make a left onto a busy highway from a side street with no traffic light. Knowing where the lights are would be one solution, but "only right turns" wouldn't depend on data.