chesmotorcycle

Gotcha. The patent process is weird either way I guess.

Am I reading this right? They've had EUV for more than a year now, but can't use it due to patent review?

A newly revealed patent from Chinese lithography systems maker Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment (SMEE) shows how domestic firms could progress in the local advanced lithography tools market despite US sanctions.

The “extreme ultraviolet [EUV] radiation generators and lithography equipment” patent, filed in March 2023, was published publicly on Tuesday and is still being vetted by the China National Intellectual Property Administration, according to a record from company registry website Qichacha.

3nm << 5nm

Meanwhile, our rail system is so slow in most of the US that it's quicker to drive. Not to mention you can't get around your destination in 99% of cities without a car.

sigh

This sounds like cutting off your nose to spite your face. Which of course the US has done and will continue to do, but wouldn't Big Tech suffer from taking it this far?

Sure, but have you considered China bad?

capitalism will make it impossible for me to exercise my profession in a good way, but is there no alternative that fits in the middle anywhere?

One possibility is to find organizations that you like and do IT work for them. Especially for budget conscious lefty groups or nonprofits, they would very likely appreciate any FOSS software recommendations.