[time-nuts] Performance of 74LVC series ICs

[Andy]

The gates on that page

   http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electronic/trangate.html

use bipolar transistors.  The 74LVC parts are CMOS.  There are various
effects caused by that difference.

And those examples have vastly inferior control over input switching
levels, compared to just about any well made digital IC from the last half
century.  (Funny to think that it has been half of a century!)

2N2222 type transistors might have switching delays upwards of 100 ns
(depending on load), whereas the LVC parts switch in the 1-5 ns range.

   "On the other hand: A well designed discrete circuit can beat a general
    purpose integrated circuit in almost all performance measures."

Some performance metrics would be hard to beat with even a well designed
discrete circuit.  On-die capacitance and inductance tends to be much
smaller than any discrete circuit can achieve.

Andy