mike4ty4@yahoo.com wrote:
> Oh, so it would cost too much then to have a fast processor built and
> "fully qualified"?

Little really 'costs too much'. You are looking for a single reason
in a world where many different factors must be applied simultaneously
- and put into perspective. Look - why would I use a 800 Mhz Pentium
when a 10 Mhz processor that is already 'fully qualified', that already
has some proven software that does something similar, whose performance
has already been tested in space, etc exists?

Yes we could spend $0.5 million to 'fully qualify' a faster
processor. But why? Implied is that you are inspired by faster
processor - or what Tim was so enthralled by in Home Improvement? You
are doing the same thing he mocks - "more power".

When that 800 Mhz processor function is necessary for space, then
eventually it will be flight qualified. Currently those larger
transistors in the 10 Mhz processor are well understood when exposed to
radiation, et al in space.