Bad Economy?

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Robert Reed
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Bad Economy?

Post by Robert Reed »

Wow, National Semiconductor has recently cut 26% of its workforce, but even more shocking is that Bob Pease (the guru of Op-Amps) is on that list. I almost have to believe it was of mutual consent - maybe a buyout he just could not resist! Oh well this will give him a lot more time to hike those mountains in far away places. BTW he will still maintain his articles in ED magazine.
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MrAl
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Re: Bad Economy?

Post by MrAl »

Hi Robert,


Yeah, i read about that. Pretty amazing how far reaching these economic issues can be.
I hope we dont start losing chip sources too.
LEDs vs Bulbs, LEDs are winning.
Bigglez
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Re: Bad Economy?

Post by Bigglez »

Robert Reed wrote:Bob Pease (the guru of Op-Amps).
Wrong "Bob". Pease was king of VtoF circuits while at Natural Semi
Destructor
, which didn't catch on as the digital tide overtook analog.

The real Op Amp king was Robert "Bob" Widlar.
Bigglez
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Re: Bad Economy?

Post by Bigglez »

Robert Reed wrote:Wow, National Semiconductor has recently cut 26% of its workforce
This is the result of closing two facilities (Suzhou, China and
Arlington, Texas). The layoff was 850 employees now, and
just under 900 over several quarters as the facilities are
de-commisioned.

The Santa Clara fabs were closed some years ago (mid 1990s),
and an addition 330 employees will be cut locally (Santa Clara
and Sunnyvale locations).

NSC has been loosing money along with most other semi
companies:

Q3 sales were $292m, which was down 31 per cent from
the $422m reported in the previous quarter and down 36
per cent from the $453m in sales during the same quarter
last year.

Net income sunk $21.1m in the quarter, down from $72.9m
during the same period in 2008.

On the bright side; flat panel TVs, digital cameras, cell phones,
personal music players, and camcorders are real cheap around
here!
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sofaspud
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Re: Bad Economy?

Post by sofaspud »

Sad news, though I would think Bob Pease was closing in on retirement anyway. I'm not
that old, but I can relate. I worked for Philips Semiconductor for a time and well, it is
now NPX, or some such...
BTW, I believe RAP holds the title "czar of bandgaps."
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haklesup
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Re: Bad Economy?

Post by haklesup »

I would think Bob Pease was closing in on retirement anyway.
I saw Bob talk at Semicon last year (or was that AutoTestCon, I forget). Sad to say it seemed like he was just "phoning it in" His talk was just a hodge podge of disconnected anecdotes and magic marker transparencies not at all up to the standards of his show. No useful technical information was presented. He just sat there and bragged about all the asses he pulled out of the fire ("Oh Oh, I remember the time when so and so was trying to do this and I was called in to ............."). Clearly time to give a diva the golden handshake. I do however hope he persists with his own web show, column or blog or something, he is a good teacher when scripted.
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Re: Bad Economy?

Post by Bigglez »

haklesup wrote:
I do however hope he persists with his own web show, column or blog or something, he is a good teacher when scripted.
When I worked at Natural Semi Destructor in the late 1990s
Bob Pease was a lot of things to many people... Scripted? Ha!
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