Hi,
...about reliability.
Look at datasheets of MSC-51 devices from Philips or at Cygnal - as example. They have no Erratas! Look at Atmel site: most devices have their Erratas, most ones have datasheets changed time to time; they do it not for fix typpos but to insert some additional "notes". IMHO, if a vendor needs to indicate additional requirement which is opposited to its description in the datasheet, then they must do it in Erratas but not insert some new lines in main datasheet.

Indeed, Atmel chips are cheap but think about: may the good thing be cheap? It was not me who asked it first time.

Regards,
Oleg