[BrendaAnnD]

I won't discount your imperical evidence, but it's been enough problems for the electronic industry, not just for Ge transistors, that they have entire think tanks dedicated to mitigation of different forms of 'whisker' mitigation.

For instance:

-INDUSTRY WHISKER CONSORTIA
- CALCE/Military OEM Tin Whisker Forum

- EIA G-12 Committee, "GEB-0002: Reducing the Risk of Tin
Whisker-Induced Failures in Electronic Systems"
- National Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (NEMI)
Accelerated Tin Whisker Test Team
Tin Whisker Modeling Team
Tin Whisker User Group