[Greg McKaskle]

Once upon a time, THE computer company, IBM, was releasing this little product called the XT. They needed a GPIB board to allow it to be used in labs and mfg test. NI was able to land a make/break contract, providing the boards at a price that such a small company couldn't really manage.

This gamble forced NI to invest heavily in its manufacturing, drive down costs, allowed it to gain a foothold against bigger suppliers, and to self-finance many new products. Identifying investment opportunities and doing what it takes to win the gamble, is IMO one of the intangibles that separate well run companies into the goods and greats.

Personally, I think the cRIO architecture is a winner, and now in its second generation, upping volumes, driving down costs, and getting it in the hands of smart and motivated people, is a similar gamble, well worth taking. NI isn't prone to walking away from things like this, and "new management at NI", is not something I'd really worry about either. I'm biased, but I think NI has a very strong and stable culture, not only at the top, but throughout the organization.

Anyway, I thought this way-back story, might be appropriate to share some of NI's point-of-view. By the way, it is always fun to see others guess at your costs, and at your levels of investment. As far as I know, no prizes will be awarded.

Greg McKaskle