"anyhow in the Philips case if you destroy your flash by writing total garbage to it, you can still wake the bootloader up with a couple of clip leads. "... Erik

"If the factory default setting for the Boot Vector (0FCH) is changed, it
will no longer point to the ISP masked-ROM boot loader code. If this
happens, the only way it is possible to change the contents of the
Boot Vector is through the parallel programming method, provided
that the end user application does not contain a customized loader
that provides for erasing and reprogramming of the Boot Vector and
Status Byte."... Philips P89C66x datasheet


I am not trying to start an argument here, but by their own admission they have made a mistake with the ROM bootloader. If you by mistake change the boot vector, or are using your own bootloader at different bootvector, and your code gets trashed.... goodbye to programming !

SST also has this mistake, even worse, at is has NO rom. They don't even guarantee the bootcode to be in flash.

I have talked to them (SST) about this, and they seem to realize the problem now, AFTER putting into silicon.

Another point... Philips made the CPU, but it takes ESA to make it useable ?

Why doesn't someone in the company making the devices know the end user's problems ?