BANGALORE, INDIA: It has really been a pleasure maintaining a semiconductors Web site! Plenty such are around globally, carrying very valuable information, and I salute those.

It is really tough to contend with all the other technology-related information, but then, semicon has its own charm, and its own set of dedicated readers -- who DO go on to become extremely loyal.

I am even more touched by another request by a friend to list all the top articles of 2008 in semiconductors,.  It is very difficult for me to say, which ones are the best! Here are the leading 10 articles -- from late last year (global trends) down to the most recent-- in terms of relevance. Enjoy!

Semicon outlook 2008: Global market likely to grow 6-11 percent in 2008
Some predictions are for 2008 to be flat year or a year of negative growth; EDA to grow 7.8pc!

Can we expect exciting times in 2008? Some trends
Blurring lines between PMPs and PNDs, semicon rush or hush; Netscape's end -- all are in store!

Multi-nationalization of product development process
Indian designers lead in transaction level design, and can play big role in EDA.

LabVIEW 8.5 delivers power of multicore processors
With LabVIEW, designers and engineers can assign different tasks on different cores -- which are independent.

NXP India achieves RF CMOS in single chip
The entire analog and RF work done has been in Bangalore by NXP's single-chip design team.

Indian design services to touch $10.96bn by 2010
Total design services market in India is said to have grown at 21 percent year on year.

Fascinating developments in 22nm!
These augur well for the global semiconductor industry, even though the field could get much narrower.

India's growing might in global semicon
India is fast becoming the world's destination, and increasingly the source too, for semiconductors.

Semicon likely to grow 12pc in 2008
If there will be an economic recession, the chip industry (but not all firms) is in the best shape possible to weather the ensuing storm.

Semi trends 2008: Fab spend lower, ASPs stabilizing
The call on global fab spend was for a 10 percent reduction, and this is now getting to be closer to 20 percent.

That's about it! If there's anything I've missed out, kindly let me know. Next time, I'll have to make this as either "most read" or perhaps, most viewed" articles of 2008, especially at the end of the year.

Thanks for all your continuing support, dear readers.