schemos for nothing, and chips for free...

[Peter Snowberg]

That aaaaaaaain't work'n.

<RANT>
A number of times people have posted about abusing the samples department of various manufacturers. This is really starting to annoy me.

Samples are for designers to evaluate how a specific maker's parts will operate in a prototype or production prototype; THEY ARE NOT FOR GENERAL STOMPBOX BUILDING!

IF YOU NEED CHIPS FOR BUILDING STOMPBOXES,  BUY THEM FROM http://www.smallbearelec.com/ or http://www.mouser.com/ or http://www.digikey.com/ , or some other place, but PLEASE DON'T ABUSE THE SAMPLE DEPARTMENTS!

Not all companies offer samples and as people take advantage.... there will be fewer and fewer companies that do. I can't tell you how frustrating it is to hear, "Sorry, we don't send engineering samples any more, talk to our distributor blah-blah about small quantity purchases."

People have even used this place as a reference when asking for free parts! :|

PLEASE STOP IT!

There are some companies that are willing to sample some devices to STUDENTS in order to build brand loyalty which is a great thing. Be honest, if you're not a student (student of life does not qualify), don't abuse the system, and buy your chips like everybody else.

There is no free lunch.
</RANT>

Edited to fix the Small Bear URL. Thanks Object88!

[R.G.]

I have to bite my tongue on this one - a lot.

Sadly, you, I, puretube and a few others are talking but few are listening. The fourteen-year-olds and the ethical fourteen-year-olds will simply go do this until the samples get shut down, or restricted to someone who can prove they are designing them in. To that mentality, there is no such thing as not abusing a privilege; abusing is what privileges are for.

Give it up.

[jimbob]

If ya cant afford the parts- find a new hobby you can afford. Or do as I do- wait till you DO have the cash and do it. These (most) parts are not that expensive. Thats just my take on it - not that it really matters to me- Im not a company or business so i really dont care. Its too bad for those who are..cause there also getting screwed- along with the sales guy whos crossing his fingers for a possibility of a big commision ect...Its really silly and sad. If you were a mechanic restoring vintage cars would you post "NEED FREE PARTS?" How silly.

[puretube]

anyone remember the great Wilson Pickett`s Hit (released as single, only ~1974):

(I Was Born In A)  F*ZZ FACTORY ?

:oops: /edit: err, it was: F*NK FACTORY... - anyway: a rarity,
as hard to find that record as it is to find some schematix...
couldn`t afford it, when it was a hit way back then, when I was young...
found it on a fleamarket 2 weeks ago...    

(the seller didn`t even want his 50 cents asking price anymore, when he saw how enthusiastic/glad I was about this find - I sang him the song out loud from memory - he wanted to give it for free, but ended up with finally accepting my 5 bucks/euros, which it was -at least- worth to me...)

[petemoore]

Well I'd have to say bragging how you lied...and got benefit from doing so makes...makes for bad karma.
 So...take my advice and believe in karma...look for ways to help each other out...yer basically ripping yourself off otherwise...that        catches up to you...eventually...always sooner than you'd like, and you'll find negativity dragging behind you, slowing you down.
 I don't like to wish bad vibes on people, but stuff like that bugs me too.
 I did it once, and had to follow through with the lies I'd started...there it is...that was a while ago, and I'm not doing it again, hoping ffeeling guilty and doing stuff for others is enough to put my K. Po-Po back to sleep.
 Rationalizing won't work, you basically have to admit to the lie...which means admitting you wouldn't like to be lied to...
 You've read this, and now your 'karma police' have awakened...you know the truth is only as true as you let it be, fooling others is fooling yourself... And that makes us all look stupid.

[Ry]

Peter,

Thank you for this post.  I've been cringing every time I see people posting about abusing these programs.  

Let me give an example of my experiences with samples:
In my prior job, I frequently had to get free samples for work functions.  Amost weekly, I needed to test components as drop-in replacements for obsolete parts.  Getting them as samples was always so much faster than waiting for the lead times it takes distributors to deliver them, and time was always of the essesence.  These were safety-critial applications, too, not a TV or microwave.  This was a couple years ago, and even then, it was difficult then to convince the manufacturers to give up 5 parts when it could mean selling thousands in the future.

My point is this: you have no idea what the wide ranging implications of your actions are by abusing this privilege.

If it were up to me, I would remove topics from this forum related to this activity.

Ry

[The Tone God]

The free sample program being restricted by some manufactures is not being caused by us and us alone. The trend towards limiting access to samples has been going on for many years. The suggestion that we are the cause alone should not be made in fact the use by DIY effect community is at a best a minor blip on their abuse RADAR.

That being said the regular suggestion and even active encouragement of the abuse of this service is alarming. This service is not intend to be a hand out or a means to reduce one's building cost. People here should be mature enough to know that. Unfortunatly there are some visitors that seem to not understand or care about that or any of the other moral/karma factors. Shame on them.

I have to agree with everyone on this one. I have used the free sample services from several different manufactures for years. Everything I order is for bussiness and not for my own personal use. There should be an active discouragement of this abuse and behavour.

People have even used this place as a reference when asking for free parts!

Are you kidding ?!? Now I find that completely unacceptable. I don't know why or how people can think that is a smart or even ok thing to do. Each one of them deserve a good smack across the head.

Andrew

[sir_modulus]

I agree completely! I would find it ok to request like NSC's Linear Databook, as it's an amazing referance. I would also find it acceptable to place a small sample order...like once for an IC or two, but then if you like the company's product, you can actaully buy their stuff. That's what I did for Koa Speer. I ordered some resistors once as samples, and now, whenever I order resistors, it's always Koa Speer!

Don't be a freakin' tightwad, and screw us all over by abusing samples...use your heads!!!!

Cheers,

Nish

[hilbi]

I agree to the message of the first post.

Stop free sample abuse!

[BD13UK]

Frankly I can't understand why people expect to receive FREE samples from manufacturers as the parts involved are usually fairly inexpensive in most instances, as an amateur/learner  I can only say that this is my own view and I wouldn't dream of expecting companies to send me FREE samples of their products so I concur with the majority view on this one thus far.

[object88]

I'm of the mind that if a company is willing to send me a databook, I'll provide my real information in exchange.  We both get a bit of free information.

But knowing that sample programs are for developers who need to test parts for mass-produced widgets, and that abuse of the system makes it harder for other people to work... I'll get my parts from other sources and pay for them.  I know that the DIY stompbox community's not the sole or primary cause, but using that as a justification is like saying it's OK to throw your trash on the highway because a bunch of people you don't know did it before you.

[Aharon]

As with everything ,both sides of the fence should lighten up a bit.
Although i am on the record as saying that WE should cool it with the samples crap,let's not go to the other extreme.Man!!.... again bringing up ethics and lecturing and the self righteous shaitz.....
Just don't anwer the post,is it that dificult to understand or do we have this compulsion to give people shit or what(self answering question here,otherwise i wouldn't have posted this)

Aharon

[troubledtom]

i buy my parts, end of story.
    peace,
       -tt

[object88]

IF YOU NEED CHIPS FOR BUILDING STOMPBOXES,  BUY THEM FROM http://www.smallbear.com/ ...

Oh, er, I think you meant Small Bear Electronics...

[guitarmonky55]

although about a month ago i ordered a ton of samples from companies, im starting to see that it is unethical and i made a mistake.  ive already torn open the packages and used half the parts so i guess theres no going back now, but ive decided im not gonna do that anymore.  i originally found out about the whole sample biz from the lounge here and thought it was great, but now im seeing it in teh same light as music downloading-its stealing.

[javacody]

Just a little tip for you guys ordering samples, often times the company will have a rep call you and will want to talk about your "application".

I've ordered samples in the past, mostly from Texas Instruments. What a great company, I'll be buying their stuff. Their chips also sound great in screamers.

However, a vast, vasty majority of my stuff (99.99999999%) came from ebay or small bear.  

[Alpha579]

The fourteen-year-olds and the ethical fourteen-year-olds will simply go do this until the samples get shut down.

come on RG, i totally agree with Peter and u on this, just because im 14 doesnt mean i steal from companies to gain a few parts! give me a break pls

[javacody]

You damn 14 year old! Quit sassing us old fellers!

[Peter Snowberg]

Although the sentiment was totally understood, I must agree with Alpha579 that age should not be used to categorize people so broadly.

Alpha579, I'll bet you're quite a bit brighter than the "average" 14 year old.



Damn..... now I start to feel old at 34!

[javacody]

Peter, you old goat, you are a whopping 3 years older than me. NO wonder you're so grumpy! How's the amplifier design that you were working on going? Hows the other stuff?