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> First, that's a red herring because most of those machines aren't running Windows, let alone with automatic updates. Are people on HN wound up so tight that

> First, that's a red herring because most of those machines aren't running Windows, let alone with automatic updates. Are people on HN wound up so tight that all imagination is lost? These are HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLES used to illustrate mission critical applications. And be careful about making assumptions about critical systems not running Windows. You'd be surprised. Sometimes vendors don't have a choice. If you are working under a contractual obligation to use Windows, well, that's what you use. For example, what do you think you might find in a huge array of military Command and Control centers? Yup. You also seem to be ignoring the fact that FTDI chips typically go on all kinds of embedded systems that are attached to a computer for tasks that have nothing to do with their mission critical nature. For example, we built a dedicated FPGA-based target tracking system used in such places as White Sands Missile Test Range that was entirely self contained. It has an FTDI-driven serial port for firmware updates and configuration. Don't assume that everything related to USB requires full time connectivity like a keyboard or a mouse. Another example is an extremely high power LED system with over 1,500 W of LEDs (much more, but that's all I can say). FTDI-powered USB is used to control it in real time. And, yes, a Windows application is at the other end. That was the spec. And, yes, it has error correction code and a dedicated communications protocol that ensures a certain degree of safety. If that chip is a fake there is no way to know what other "features" it may have. Again, the HN mob is quick to be judge, jury and executioner. That's to be expected. Until most of the HN crowd has another decade or two under their belt emotion will drive a lot of the thought processes. I get it. If FTDI truly intended to cause harm, of course they deserve to be sued out of existence. What kind of a moron would not agree with that. If, on the other hand, the issues are a side effect of code that is so fine-tuned to their devices that bad clones fail, well, that's not their fault. I need to go dig-up the official FTDI position on this, everything else is bullshit and conjecture.

deleted 12y ago
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icebraining 12y ago
To be clear, I wasn't accusing FTDI themselves of anything. I was purely arguing to your hypothetical example, in which they did intend to brick chips. If you didn't want to argue that position, you shouldn't have made a post arguing it. Kindly redirect your anger against the "HN mob" somewhere else.
- robomartin 12y ago
  Not angry at the HN mob, they provide daily comic relief. They also remind me that some of the opinions I had when I was younger must have sounded just as moronic to the more experienced engineers and business people I worked with. I mean, we are all pretty stupid and impressionable until somewhere around 30 years of age. By that time life has generaly done a pretty good job realigning young idealist thinking and opinions borne out of indoctrination. Life experience is also a huge factor in this. For example opposite poles are found in people who spent twenty years working a government job (can't get fired, insane pension) vs. a bootstrapped entrepreneur (self reliance, responsible for own success and failure, no pension). These people reach 40-something years of age with vastly different views of reality. You come across these and other extremes here on HN. For the record, I have nothing but contempt for people who live a life where they are not responsible and accountable for their actions and future. I think it degrades the human condition. So, no, not angry at HN mobs or any other internet mobs.

deleted 12y ago

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icebraining 12y ago

To be clear, I wasn't accusing FTDI themselves of anything. I was purely arguing to your hypothetical example, in which they did intend to brick chips. If you didn't want to argue that position, you shouldn't have made a post arguing it. Kindly redirect your anger against the "HN mob" somewhere else.

robomartin 12y ago
Not angry at the HN mob, they provide daily comic relief. They also remind me that some of the opinions I had when I was younger must have sounded just as moronic to the more experienced engineers and business people I worked with. I mean, we are all pretty stupid and impressionable until somewhere around 30 years of age. By that time life has generaly done a pretty good job realigning young idealist thinking and opinions borne out of indoctrination. Life experience is also a huge factor in this. For example opposite poles are found in people who spent twenty years working a government job (can't get fired, insane pension) vs. a bootstrapped entrepreneur (self reliance, responsible for own success and failure, no pension). These people reach 40-something years of age with vastly different views of reality. You come across these and other extremes here on HN. For the record, I have nothing but contempt for people who live a life where they are not responsible and accountable for their actions and future. I think it degrades the human condition. So, no, not angry at HN mobs or any other internet mobs.