posted 06-22-2005 02:45 PM            

see this story by AP on CBS (and many many other news channels):-
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/06/22/tech/main703485.shtml

All of us signing into cS or any other web based service or forum via our PC or workstation or just using our PC we owe our gratitude to Jack for his invention.

Many of the space programs - especially Apollo and those now in operation on Mars,in orbit about Saturn and numerous other programs - also owe a huge 'thank you' to Jack and his co-pioneers for the microchip.

Without it we would not have seen the pioneering and giant steps forward in space explorations in such a short time scale that most of us have been priviliged to see unfold before our very eyes.

And, that's not to mention the myriads of other down to earth every day articles that use microchips - watches,cookers,car electrical systems,machine tools..........

And,of course, several of the billionaires and millionaires currently behind some of the commercial/private space vehicles like Falcon,Xcor,SpaceshipOne and SpaceshipTwo and many others owe their fortunes to having been able provide software and applications that could run on microchip computers.

I'm fortunate to own a couple of the first microchips that NASA used in the Apollo onboard computers that came off the production lines - not long after Jack's design - and to have these very early examples I now feel very humble and proud.

And,therefore,to Jack - a very warm and heartfelt "Thank You ". Without you spaceflight and much of todays technological world as we know it today would have been much much longer in getting here.

To his family and close friends I offer my sincerest condolences. Jack WAS a pioneer in every sense.