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How Semiconductors Ruined East Germany

Asianometry

968K subscribers • 14 videos on Hallway

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  • Recommended by 2 people: 2 on Hacker News.

Beginner. No background in the topic needed.

1M views3 years ago2 recommendations

HardwareHistory and cultureCPUs and computer architectureHistory of computingElectronics

Asianometry explores East Germany's costly and ultimately failed attempt to build a self-sufficient semiconductor industry through espionage and smuggling.

Links: - The Asianometry Newsletter: asianometry.com - Patreon: patreon.com/Asianometry - Twitter: twitter.com/asianometry

Why it's here

2 people recommend this

What people say. Recommended as a well-researched historical account of the microelectronics industry and spycraft behind the Iron Curtain.

nntwozzon Hacker News • Recommends

On “TSMC, Bosch, Infineon, and NXP to build fab in Germany”

Just want to share these relevant videos from Asianometry: How Semiconductors Ruined East Germany link to this video Why Europe Lost Semiconductors link Europe’s Lost Decades in Semiconductors link

flohofwoeon Hacker News • Recommends

On “The Untold Story of How US Spies Sabotaged Soviet Technology”

Regarding the microelectronics industry behind the Iron Curtain, this is a well researched video by Asianometry, which actually contains a couple of details (unlike the Politico article) about the spycraft involved: link to this video (based on the first-person account book 'Deckname Saale' by Gerhardt Ronneberger)

MengerSpongeon Hacker News • Mentions

On “TSMC, Bosch, Infineon, and NXP to build fab in Germany”

China is willing to point a firehose of resouroces at development targets, but that doesn't guarantee success. Semiconductors are really stinking hard! East Germany famously tried really hard to develop a native capability, but failed and wound up smuggling parts from the west and running years behind western firms: link to this video China is more willing to both reward and hold senior stakeholders responsible, as long as they aren't too closely allied with Xi

3seashellson Hacker News • Mentions

On “Chinese spies had acces to Dutch chip maker NXP's systems for over two years”

I weep for the Chinese researchers never getting funding and a moment in the sun, cause a incompetent secret service/insecure government prefers copying. link to this video