This paper considers microelectronics development in view of the diminishing effects of investment in down-scaling of dimensions of microelectronic devices. The paper argues that the most effective direction of the microelectronics evolution is one that goes through the field of novel silicon device structures. While more radical approaches may seem attractive, they are unlikely to be successful in competition with the approach of such structures, which make use of the enormous human and economic potential tied to silicon technologies. Research in the field of novel device structures is seen as a bridge towards the era of nanoelectronics.