The present invention provides an optical switch whose operational characteristics do not change, and which is not affected by polarization cross talk, even when the wavelength of a signal light or the ambient temperature of the optical switch varies. These instructions also create a new stream of processing at the other segment of code enabling execution of the other segment of code to be performed in parallel with the segment of code from which the branch was taken. In its idle position the cutting tool is disengaged from, and, in its active position it is engaged in, the workpiece to be processed. Another method limits the temporal operation of a hardware platform using an internal counter within the software provided by the intellectual property owner.