Couldn't help but notice this article written by the editor of a serious publication, Electronics Weekly.

When there's so much talk about how hi-tech countries in the developed world are losing their lead and look like losing a lot more before the situation right itself I can't help but quote:

"It was with great sadness and some anger that I read Deepstream Technologies had finally called in the administrators at the behest of some of its creditors.

The company is now up for sale and 80 staff are out of work. If ever there were a case for government money being used to rescue a cash-strapped high-tech-start-up with big potential, this is it.

Deepstream has been a proud example of a UK technology company that believed it was still possible to manufacture electronic components competitively in the UK.

The company said it was cost-effective to manufacture high volume sensor products in the UK, rather than go overseas to lower-cost production facilities.

Deepstream probably would have succeeded in its own right had it not been trying to grow a manufacturing business at a time when the global economy went into freefall and the banks stopped lending money.

The administrators say Deepstream has invested heavily in recent years and there is huge potential for its technology.

What is obvious is that it was not the company's business model or technology that failed. Deepstream simply ran out of working capital.

Of course, it is not the only company to find itself in this situation in the current economic crisis.

But there are specific reasons why it should stand out as an ideal candidate for government support.

The plans of Deepstream, which already has a major contract for its 3D sensor technology, should not be allowed to fail.

Deepstream's "manufacture-in-the-UK" philosophy is impressive, its technology is actually innovative and has been used by at least one major manufacturer.

Most importantly, its workforce has the types of technology skills which this country now needs to cultivate in the wake of the banking crisis.

All Deepstream needs is some help with cashflow to work through the current credit crisis.

And the money is there. The last Budget outlined around £1bn available to invest in technology companies.

The government shouldn't simply be "helping" in the search for a buyer, it should be rescuing Deepstream for the UK.

The fate of Deepstream will perhaps give us an indication of how serious the government is about maintaining the UK's high-tech skills base.

Because if it were serious, spending a few million bailing out Deepstream would be a no-brainer."