Re: ZIP GSX 1.0.1 vs 1.0.2

["David C. Chiu" <none@nowhere.org>]

Henry S. Courbis wrote:

> ZIP Technologies seemed to be one of those companies what never wasted 
> anything, including PCBs.  Take the ZIP DRIVE for instance: 
> http://www.downloads.reactivemicro.com/Public/Apple%20II%20Items/Hardware/ZIP_DRIVE/Pics/DSCN0475.JPG

> Why they wouldn't just redesign the PCB is beyond me.  There has been some 
> speculation that they purposefully designed the PCB that way though.  The 
> idea being that if the PLCC (square) chip becomes hard to find that they 
> could then build the board using standard logic ICs.  Seems like an odd 
> strategy though to me.

Hi Henry, actually it costs MORE to manufacture PCBs padded for two 
different components as more board real estate means higher cost per 
board. It's more likely that they're got a release schedule to keep and 
wasn't sure if the ASIC will be done on time, so the PCB out laid out 
for both discrete and PLCC.