[ShadowBlades512]

For a slowly increasing number of use cases, Lattice is starting to change that. Not quite Cyclone IV, but the ECP5 can be pretty decent for the price. Over time I think their new CertusPro-NX line is going to become interesting.

[gorkish]

That is good! I am hopeful as well! However I don't think that the parts that you are talking about are fundamentally solving the problems I discussed. You have always been able to go to a vendor outside of the top few and get cheaper parts -- for the small price of having to rework basically everything. Something has to break the vendor lock-in a little more completely before this can fundamentally change.