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Rating: 
Summary: Best book for quickly getting the basics that I am aware of
Review: The title and editorial reviews live up to their billing (with one very minor exception - see below). As a former CEO of a software company who has been asked to consult to a fabless semiconductor design company, I needed to get up to speed on the basics of semiconductor technology as well as the value chain of the industry. This book provided the technology basics and then related it all to the general business world, something that is important to me as the company is supported by venture capitalists whose focus is both technology and economic success. The author explains technology concepts in a very readable fashion for the layman. For example, in describing FPGAs, he writes, "Programmable logic chips are like electronic Etch-a-Sketches, ready to use but not really finished. Customers imprint their own design onto them, making their own semicustom chips. . . Like a Etch-a-Sketch, you can erase the chip and start over any time you want, so there's no risk." This book provides a great overview and starting point. I've searched and bought several books related to the basics of semiconductors and found most of them to be too high-level or too much like a text book with a lot of math exercises. This one delivers what is claimed. In fact, I rated another book 1-star, so my 5-stars for this book indicates an uninflated opinion of its helpfulness to me. A minor drawback is the editorial review claims it is sufficiently detailed for technical readers. Technical readers who want to understand the business of semicon or aspects outside of their direct field of work will likely find this book valuable, but if they are seeking technical details, there are better books out there. There are a few things I wish the book covered in more depth, such as more about specific applications that the author believes is going to be hot; however, that is more of a personal preference and I would not downgrade the book on this account. Finally, this book is part of a library of books in the Essential Guide Series by Prentice Hall. Other titles include Essential Guide: - to XML, - to Storage Area Networks, - to Telecommunications, etc. I will know where to look next time I need overviews on industries I am unfamiliar with.
Rating:
Summary: WOW - I feel 10 times smarter right now...
Review: This book is a must read for anyone in the technology industry - even a software guy like me found the content and processes explained fascinating! I would also urge anyone investing in public companies like Intel, Sun, etc.... to read this and truly understand what those companies do. There were several points in the book where the author would explain something, and the curious side of my brain would question "hrm, I wonder why it's called that... or how that came to be" - and without fail... the next paragraph of the book knew exactly what my curiosity would be and spelled it out. A HIGHLY RECOMMENDED BOOK!
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