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Cost-efficient prototyping...

Started by Marek, January 27, 2005, 07:18:21 PM

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Marek

January 27, 2005, 07:18:21 PM
Here, few nice hints:

http://*here used to be some evil link*.com
sorry, you came to late and missed the party :roll:

Altho' National apparently doesn't  ship the samples for free anymore. I guess people were misusing the good will of National Semicon massively...

Just when I typed in all I wanted on the National site - it said: "...demand of free samples... blahblah... ...we have to charge a small shipping fee.."

Oh well,... now it doesn't pay anymore. Take a 0,49$ IC and whatever you pay for shipping is going to be too much...

R.G.

#1
January 27, 2005, 08:19:12 PM
QuoteAltho' National apparently doesn't ship the samples for free anymore. I guess people were misusing the good will of National Semicon massively...

Just when I typed in all I wanted on the National site - it said: "...demand of free samples... blahblah... ...we have to charge a small shipping fee.."

Um... what did you all expect? Free parts in ones and twos to the several hundreds of us and any other hobbyists forever?

This, and other ways to cut the hobbyist out of the free samples path are certain responses to overuse of the free samples policies. The reality is that hobbists will never return money to these businesses, and the businesses, are, after all, businesses. They die if they don't make money.

I bit my tongue really, really hard when the cycles of "yeah, I got a buncha free samples too! I'm gonna get some MORE... " and "me too! Kewl! We're really fooling these big companies!" were being pasted in here.

There are very valid reasons for staying below radar screens, and they affect entire communities.
R.G.

In response to the questions in the forum - PCB Layout for Musical Effects is available from The Book Patch. Search "PCB Layout" and it ought to appear.

Marek

#2
January 27, 2005, 09:03:32 PM
Quote

Um... what did you all expect? Free parts in ones and twos to the several hundreds of us and any other hobbyists forever?


Heh. Don't get upset. :roll:  It is clear that in the long run those semiconductor producers would (have to) introduce some sort of barriers towards the non-moneymaking hobby-scene, if they found that to be neccessary. National Semicon is obviously already behind that threshold. I don't mind. I just reported on what I encountered there...

I guess it's the me-too kind of thing... Why should I now be the black sheep, if eveybody else is doing it (ordering free samples). Me personally, I stepped into this DIY scene approx. 3 years ago, so I'm relatively fresh, and all those things (most of ) you guys were doing for years I discovered only now and I tried to share my new discoveries with the community.  I was actually buying all those SSM2166 and similar expensive ICs...  but really!

I guess this is the last time I ever 'propagated' any free samples in any way.. Thank you, R.G. for drawing my attention to this issue...

Peace,
Marek

R.G.

#3
January 27, 2005, 10:57:54 PM
I wasn't trying to single you out personally, Marek. That's why I said - and meant - "what were you all thinking?"

And you personally aren't the black sheep particularly - the entire group actions are. I believe that the big "me too! me too!" run was less than a year ago so there wasn't any us guys doing it for years.

I've had free samples of substantially any part available to me for a phone call for the last three decades, courtesy of the vendors practically drooling over the thought of selling their parts to my company. In thirty years I did this exactly twice.

The company had a strict code of conduct with vendors that made accepting free samples harder than buying them, just to make sure that all dealings with vendors were on the up and up. Accepting free samples meant that you literally had to document and record the use of the parts in an ongoing design program to prove that the vendor had a chance to sell parts into a product.

This was probably too strict, but it sure was effective at making sure that there were no squabbles about who got what parts free and why.

Free samples are never really free. They're always an inducement to buy more, whether they're logic chips or ladyfinger sandwiches.

And I apologize for my ranting. Asking for free samples is always going to be self limiting, and this cycle is nearing the downhill slope. I'm calmer now that I've taken my pills. Quoting my hero Nigel Tufnel, I'd be a whole lot worse off if I weren't so heavily medicated 8-)
R.G.

In response to the questions in the forum - PCB Layout for Musical Effects is available from The Book Patch. Search "PCB Layout" and it ought to appear.

Dirk_Hendrik

#4
January 28, 2005, 07:31:18 AM
Quote from: R.G.Um... what did you all expect? Free parts in ones and twos to the several hundreds of us and any other hobbyists forever?

This, and other ways to cut the hobbyist out of the free samples path are certain responses to overuse of the free samples policies. The reality is that hobbists will never return money to these businesses, and the businesses, are, after all, businesses. They die if they don't make money.

I bit my tongue really, really hard when the cycles of "yeah, I got a buncha free samples too! I'm gonna get some MORE... " and "me too! Kewl! We're really fooling these big companies!" were being pasted in here.

There are very valid reasons for staying below radar screens, and they affect entire communities.

I couldn't agree more R.G. with 2 remarks:
1) There's one example on which I bit my tongue way harder. The "free samples" sites which don't do anything else than redirecting their visitors to places where free samples are available. Many of these visitors will fill out anything for anything as long as it's free. Now I winder what a non-tech is going to do with semiconductors? Put them in the box with soap and bathing stuff samples? With Hobbyists these companies won't make their money back but at least the samples ended up with someone who has use.

2) In some cases samples is the only way to get components. I've got the money so if I can I buy my components without complaint.... If I can buy the quantity I want, which is usually not 1000+ pcs.  Many suppliers don't sell less or have minimum order numbers or, the worst, are business to business only and will not sell to me simply because I'm not a company. In those cases I'll easily turn to the sampling option as I cannot buy the components.
More stuff, less fear, less  hassle and less censoring? How 'bout it??. To discuss what YOU want to discuss instead of what others decide for you. It's possible...

But not at diystompboxes.com...... regrettably

puretube

#5
January 28, 2005, 09:07:37 AM
...schemos for nothing, and chips for free  :P

smashinator

#6
January 28, 2005, 10:20:51 AM
Quote from: puretube...schemos for nothing, and chips for free  :P

ha ha ha!
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it. - George Bernard Shaw

http://pizzacrusade.blogspot.com/

Vsat

#7
January 28, 2005, 11:16:58 AM
Had to happen eventually... all I will say is "about time". Kudo's to  AD, National, hopefully TI and Maxim and the rest will follow suit. Selling "free samples" on ebay a despicable practice.
Regards, Mike (requested free samples THREE times in TEN years, resulting in two successful commercial products using chips fom the same mfr's.

MartyMart

#8
January 28, 2005, 11:59:34 AM
"I only did it 'cos you guys told me I could"  !!! :oops:
( in a snivelling kids voice )


AND . . .. they have to ship it ( express ) to the UK :oops:  :roll:  :oops:

That can't be cheap.
Anyhow, I've had my "quota" so I'll stop ......... sorry ........

PS: I do buy LOTS of parts you know . . . .

Marty. 8)
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm"
My Website www.martinlister.com
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