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I am installing a GIAC chip in my European performance car. Why are GIAC Chips socketed?  

what kind of car?  Im not sure what socket you are talking about but there is proboably the ones for your wiring harnesses, and an extra one for The Flashloader Software Switcher.  

To allow the user to return the ECU to stock programming. By using a socket method, the user can easily swap between the GIAC performance chip module and a special stock chip module (a $50 option). Swapping is easy and requires removing and opening the ECU, unplugging the GIAC chip module, and then plugging in the stock chip module. Socketed chips also ease in upgrading the performance programming. As with most any good software, there are periodic software revisions. Without a socketed ECU, the user would need to send the entire ECU back to us for reprogramming. With a socket, however, the user can swap in their stock chip module and send in the performance chip for upgrade. No downtime for the vehicle and a convenient upgrade process!  Socketed chips also protect GIAC programming from competitors and hackers. The GIAC socket used with GIACware Performance Programming contains proprietary encryption hardware. This encryption is in place to protect the many advances in GIAC programming. Protection of this investment means that GIAC is able to continue to offer cutting-edge upgrades and performance programming.  You can learn more about this on our website at www.awe-tuning.com  

thanks for the more in depth detail johnmike.