scott wrote:
> Just think of all the navigation and control systems in a plane (both 
> hardware and software),

Not difficult to top. I mean, heck, we used to do *that* without any 
computers at all.

> plus the fact that there needs to be 4-way redundancy 

As opposed to supporting several versions of CDMA and GSM, bluetooth, GPS, 
HDTV, surround sound, and 3D graphics acceleration, all on one chip, running 
on a tiny battery for a week at a time, talking to assorted carriers all 
with their own versions of the standard implemented? :-)

I think it's certainly close.

> and everything must be designed to work for 30 years rather 
> than 3 years.  

I'll grant you that's a restriction you don't see on mobile phones.

> And that's before you've even considered how complex a modern jet engine 
> is, or the retractable landing gear, the control surfaces, the control 
> systems to keep the plane stable, the auto-pilot etc.

Again, all that was done before people even invented computers.

> I guess there's a reason why you can design a new phone from drawing 
> board to mass production in 18 months, but a plane takes nearer 10 years.

People don't design phones from scratch. Certainly the first analog cell 
phones were under development for some 70+ years, and digital cell phone 
technology was under development for 40+ years IIRC.

(Granted, I don't think people design jet planes from scratch, either, but 
that just means it's a bad comparison.)

-- 
   Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
   The NFL should go international. I'd pay to
   see the Detroit Lions vs the Roman Catholics.

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