Designs (was Re: OT: how big would it be?) - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

20 Oct 1999

...
 Ok, so who would be interested in creating a repository
of "generic" gate
designs?

Are the flip chip cards copyrighted? (Somehow I doubt Compaq would come
after us if we started building them :-) 
The PC artwork might be copyrighted, but the protection on the circuit
design would be a patent.  And the patents have (in the case of
the "classic" technology being discussed) almost certainly expired
by now. 

...
 Are they the correct technology? I like 'em because
you can get to parts of
the circuit easily, but it is more compact to put everything on just a few
boards.

Have we ruled out using SMT technology? We could easily build a 16 bit
register on a single flip chip sized card with SMT stuff. 
I, personally, don't think that surface mount is the way to go.  I'd prefer
to see all the transistors in TO-3 cans, though of course real transistors
on flip chips often were TO-92's, and these offer a definite cost and
density advantage (as does SMT, but I think that's a bit too far!)

Tim.