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To: jim kelley who wrote (42386)	5/16/2000 10:35:00 PM
From: pheilman_	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 93625

Re: In brief, the memory industry doesn't have to predict DDR consumption 3 months in advance, like it does RDRAM production, in order to schedule chip starts. This is pretty fundamental. SDRAM has been designed so that in the final stages of production different metal masks can be used to create different widths X8, X16, X32 as the market demands. This reduces the risk for the DRAM manufacturer if the market changes. Now, as proof of how evolutionary a development DDR is, the designers have made the SDRAM/DDR choice a metal layer only. RDRAM on the other hand has all layers different and requires a new wafer start. Visualize it as a car line with a paint booth at the end. SDRAM/DDR is just two different colors, you can start the cars down the line without waiting for the customers to decide on color. RDRAM is a different model car, different tooling is required throughout the line. The challenge for scheduling is much more difficult and if the manufacturer predicts future demand wrong they are much more cautious the next time.