CVs Repository on a USB Stick

[Alan Dayley]

Ted Gould said:
> That's not necessarily true either.  We just had a customer spec these
> flash parts that had ~100 writes.  It sucked big time, believe me.  It
> depends on the requirements for the part - some people are just cheap.

You are correct.  My statement about 100s of thousands was for purchasable
flash systems.  By that I mean compact flash cards, secure digital cards
and the like.  These devices have controllers in them that, in part,
manage the wearing of the flash chips in the system.

> Hear, hear.  I guess the good question is: Is there somewhere on the web
> that posts the number of writes by USB dongle manufacturer?

That would be difficult to compile and maintain.  Getting each flash
module manufacturer to reveal what flash chips they use is very difficult.
 I know for some manufacturers because I am under NDA through my employer.
 Pick a vendor and see if you can get the flash detail specs from their
web site.  Won't happen.

The manufacturers, especially the no-name, cheap brands, want the ability
to change internal flash chip suppliers at any time.  If they publish
specs, they have headaches maintaining the specs and trying to live up to
them.  Many of the cheaper suppliers barely know what they are selling
anyway.

It would be good information to have, however.  On the plus side, most all
of them work fine under Linux and can hold program code!  (Are we back on
topic now?)

Alan