"RST Engineering" wrote in message
.. .
non-gold-plated connectors

Tin on tin is every bit as good as gold on gold in the avionics environment.

I respect your background, and I am not an avionics engineer (and do not
play one on TV) but this is directly opposite to my experience. I will never
bother with a non-gold card edge connector again.

cheesy DIP sockets for many ICs, etc.


What does a non-cheesy DIP socket look like?

I have had grief with cheap IC sockets. The difference can be pennies per
unit.

And why in the world would you ever socket an IC?

Here, we agree.


You've been a grad student now for about four years as I count. Ever plan on
finishing up?

I spent at least 4 years on my Master's, given that life continued to go on
and I still needed a job to feed my family. The Ph.D (if I had continued) would
have taken longer.


Vaughn