Cost aside, wouldn't that cause further delay? They could inspect them during the built process. If a unit requires 8 chips, plug in 7 that look okay and 1 (?). This way two issues could be solved with one (insert noun, but not stone).
It's a reliability problem. Thermal cycling of the chips will cause the underfill to delaminate at the void sites and break solder joints. So you put it all together and everything looks sweet, then a month or 2 down the road the chip goes completely flakely on you and eventually fails completely.The only way to know what is going on is to inspect some of the die using CSAM. It's a non-destructive process and can be done with a sample of packages so it's not the end of the world. Unless they are all full of voids...
I really don't think Josh is as aware of these types of situations as you are. Why don't you shoot them a quick message so he gets the idea. It would be fun to see him screaming at the packagers.
Josh has a long history of not speaking to me in a civil manner. And my company pays me ~$1000/day to work on these kinds of problems. Why would I consult for free for a company I consider to behave in a completely unethical manner?
For the record, here is what I said about BFL 10 months ago:
I do have one question... What is exactly the point you are trying to make?
Regards,
BF Labs Inc.
Thanks for asking. I have a few simple points.
About BFL
1. You are pre-announcing this product before delivering your previously pre-announced product
2. This is your second claim of delivering a product with ASIC hashing. Your first was debunked as an FPGA as soon as product shipped.
3. You seem to be using customer funds for purchases of product for development and general expenses. If I am wrong about that please post a notarized statement from your escrow agent and I will apologize.
About business in general
1. Paying in advance for development is an investment. It is generally compensated with intellectual property, equity or loan interest.
2. Honest, viable businesses become insolvent all the time for lack of cashflow. It is the reason for the Chapter 11 bankruptcy procedures.
3. Payments in advance for products become unsecured debts in a bankruptcy proceeding. Unsecured debtors are among the lowest priority for recovery in these procedures and generally get nothing. Even if the material is sitting in the shipping bay with a label on it, it isn't yours under bankruptcy.
4. For reason #3 above it is unethical, and a violation of consumer protection laws in many places to sell product in advance of availability. For the same reason, Visa and Mastercard require shipment before a sale can be charged.
5. Companies at risk of insolvency often make very generous guarantee offers. A guarantee has no revenue cost in the present, and has no value in bankruptcy either.
I can't see ever being a customer of yours given your business practices. And your question has given me the opportunity to nicely summarize why people should use caution. So I will leave your thread to your fans and investors.
