But if ESD isn't an issue, why then using an exotic, unavailable and costly chip, when a few very simple code lines can do the same??

My issue is not ESD or not, it is Real Estate. I live in an environment where the standards were defined when all equipment was simple and the enclosure sizes defined then can not be changed. Every design goes through the process "is there any way to do this with fewer or smaller chips. To illustrate the issue, the latest board is so compact and crowded that it makes the layout cost $5k+ even though it only has abt 20 chips.

Erik