TI Makes Integrated Circuitry Obsolete

'In the microelectronic business even the small mistakes cost big money.

'For example: Texas Instruments discovered that the face powder of girls in the yellow rooms was floating loose and ruining circuits.'

'Cost to us? Up to £1,000 a day. We quickly found ourselves specifying make-up as well as anti-phosphorous, purifying soaps.'

'Point is, if you want to manufacture your own ICs you have to learn a lot before you earn a lot.'

'The education is expensive.'

'First you must hire yourself the very best brains in the world. If you can only get the No.2 man in his field, forget it.'

'Then you must build the plant. It shouldn't set you back more than £5m a line.'

'Then put aside £40m a year for research. That's what Texas spend'.

'Then plan to lose £1m every year for the next three years. With a world-wide back-up it took Texas one and a half years to break even.'

'By the time you're riddled with ulcers you could start making a profit'.

'Unless, in the meantime, some genius has discovered a technique that makes integrated circuitry obsolete.'

'(We have. And we'll tell you about it when you come back from your holidays).'

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