OK, while we are at it, because I think the discussion is related. A 74HCT154 is available in the following packages: 24-SOIC, 24-TSSOP, 24-VFQN. 24-DHFQN and a 24-PDIP.
If you would rank them in order of preference (meaning: the least likely to become unobtanium) how would you rank them? Why?
If you were doing an SMT design, which package would you pick and why?
There also appears to be some synonyms floating around like 16-QFN and say a 16-Lead Lead Frame Chip Scale Package [LFCSP_WQ]. So what's going on?
PS:
BGA packages are just plain nutty.