➀ Charlie Sporck, a pioneer in the semiconductor industry, has passed away at the age of 96. He was instrumental in the development of fabs and manufacturing processes. At Fairchild, he was known for his leadership and innovative strategies, such as the successful counterunionization strategy. ➁ He later became the CEO of National Semiconductor, transforming it into an industry leader and pioneering assembly operations in Asia. His strategic decisions and leadership were pivotal in the growth of the semiconductor industry. ➂ Sporck was also a key figure in the Semiconductor Industry Association and Sematech, contributing to the US's process technology leadership after the Japanese challenge in the 1980s.

1. TI has updated the LM339 comparator family by moving from a 150mm to a 300mm high-voltage process. 2. The new 'B' versions improve on the original designs in documented specs. 3. TI maintains an extensive app note detailing the differences and behavior of these comparators.