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The science of ultra pure silicon

48 points| sajid | 7 years ago |wired.com | reply

25 comments

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[+] DoctorOetker|7 years ago|reply
The comment from the security guard paints a big terrorist target on the facility!
[+] robin_reala|7 years ago|reply
How are 5 year non-compete clauses remotely legal?
[+] close04|7 years ago|reply
They are legal because the actual wording of the agreement has to be as narrow as possible. So you would be barred from competing in the same industry, in a certain geographical region, etc. It all has to be very specific. Otherwise it just gets dismissed in a court.

If I sell you my self driving tech company and tomorrow I'm founding a new one, right next door, ideally even stealing all the former employees back, that's competing. If I move across the ocean or start building self sailing yachts that's probably good.

Basically the limitations can only go as far as needed to protect the legitimate interests of the parties. There's of course some grey area where those interests overlap but I think overall 5 years isn't necessarily exaggerated.

[+] arminiusreturns|7 years ago|reply
The thing most companies don't realize is that non competes are extremely hard to enforce. Longest I had was 2 years, and that was just as a sysadmin at a genetics company. 5 does seem excessive and likely unenforceable.
[+] qume|7 years ago|reply

[deleted]

[+] robertAngst|7 years ago|reply
>That quartz is then blasted in a powerful electric furnace, creating a chemical reaction that separates out much of the oxygen. That leaves you with what is called silicon metal, which is about 99 percent pure silicon. But that’s not nearly good enough for high‑tech uses. Silicon for solar panels has to be 99.999999 percent pure—six 9s after the decimal. Computer chips are even more demanding. Their silicon needs to be 99.99999999999 percent pure—eleven 9s.

From the article. Pure/purity.

[+] qume|7 years ago|reply
Hey respected downvoters - pure means homogeneous. Can you please explain to be what ultra homogeneous means?

When discussing scientific concepts being haphazard with language seems like it should be called out, especially when the source is a respected publication like wired.

Simply take a few seconds to let us all know the error in my ways please.