From: jl@glen--canyon.com   
      
   On Thu, 5 Feb 2026 09:22:59 -0700, Don Y    
   wrote:   
      
   >On 2/5/2026 7:52 AM, Liz Tuddenham wrote:   
   >> Don Y  wrote:   
   >>   
   >>> I'm thinking back to how screwed up the supply chain got during   
   >>> COVID and wonder what manufacturers and investors will do when   
   >>> the future is far less certain than a "pandemic".   
   >>>   
   >>> Opinions?   
   >>   
   >> We have sleepwalked into this and the few who have raised the alarm have   
   >> been (and still are being) ignored and ridiculed.   
   >   
   >"Computer chips, potato chips -- what's the difference?"   
   >   -- Michael Boskin (Chairman of the President’s Council of Economic   
   >      Advisers under GHW Bush)   
   >   
   >People making the policy decisions are inept so unable to comprehend   
   >the consequences of those decisions.   
   >   
   >(Gotta wonder where the guy who came up with China's "one child"   
   >rule is, today!)   
   >   
   >> There is a wider problem: we have become 'travel junkies' and rely too   
   >> much on transport.  "I can get it cheaper from..." doesn't take into   
   >> account the hidden costs such as liability to supply disruption, loss of   
   >> control over the design and the fundamental need to teach underlying   
   >> principles and train people in making things themselves.   
   >   
   >People are always looking for "more value" -- ignoring the costs   
   >they incur in getting there.   
   >   
   >Look at how many product use Linux kernels -- yet likely have no one   
   >on staff that understands or can maintain such a big chunk of code   
   >ON WHICH THEIR PRODUCT DEPENDS.   
   >   
   >> We haven't got the factories.   
   >> We haven't got the machines.   
   >> We haven't got the people who know how to operste the machines.   
   >> We haven't got the machines to make the machines.   
   >> We haven't got the people who know how to make the machines   
   >> We haven't got the material.   
   >> We haven't got the undustry to make the materials.   
   >   
   >But each of these things have associated costs.   
   >   
   >Employers want "new hires" that are familiar with TODAY'S   
   >technology.  There is no concern for how well suited they   
   >will be for TOMORROW'S!  ("We'll just replace them!")   
      
   Circuit theory and comon sense haven't changed much in 100 years.   
      
   I tell the kids that I expect electronic design to be about the last   
   engineering profession that is killed by AI.   
      
      
      
   John Larkin   
   Highland Tech Glen Canyon Design Center   
   Lunatic Fringe Electronics   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)