Free samples

[javacody]

Some sample news, look what Mill-Max is shipping me!

http://www.mill-max.com/sockets/so_productinfo.cfm?searchBasicPartNumber=210&searchClipGrid=41&searchPinWindowPattern=001&searchInsulatorPinClipType=000&start=1&search_description2=Standard%20Solder%20Tail&search_rows=&search_numberofpins=8&searchPlatingOptions=13

And JRC just shipped out my JRC4558's and JRC386's!

[mikeb]

I think it is a beautiful thing.

Like I said, it is just my opinion. I have no financial interest in these companies, just felt moved enough to comment on what I was reading about. The same reasoning (that it is 'insignificant') could be applied to voting in elections, throwing 'just one' piece of rubbish to the ground, and so on ... but if you want to argue 'numbers', just how many sales will be made if someone here designs a new pedal and markets it? A few hundred? As has been argued, this is well 'beneath the radar' of parts companies who like dealing with tens of thousands, at least.

I'd like to write more, but am having a hell of a time with a bad back so now will retire to read-only mode ....

Mike

[javacody]

Yes, but if someone here takes a job somewhere else, say Boeing for instance, and they remember TI fondly, who knows? Or maybe someone here has an uncle who is a professional EE?

They must be interested, because I have plans to sell something on a rate of 1000 units per year, which is still nothing to them, and they still sent me samples. I was up front with them, and I still got the samples.  I can't speak for these companies, but in business you learn the value of positive public opinion. Sometimes you can't put a dollar figure on it, but if you go to get a loan or sell your company, it counts for quite a bit.

Personally, I was very impressed with TI, Onsemi, and JRC/NJM.  If and when I'm producing my own products, I will definitely remember their kind behavior towards me. This is something money can't buy.

Last but not least, most of these companies also offer stuff for educational purposes and there is no way they can make money off of that directly. So why do they do it? See above.  

[Jered]

There was a time in the not so distant past when you didn't have to BS these semi mfgr and say you were a business.  No problem with jered1011@aol.com or joeblow@yahoo.com. Not any more, every year more of the semi mfgr's are changing this policy. Any ideas why?
  Jered

[jimmy]

quick question...

do you have to put your REAL phone number in? in all honest send me an email, but dont ring me!!!!

cheers
Jim

[smoguzbenjamin]

I entered my phone number, sure. Who's gonna call? And anyway you can remove it later.

Javacody is right when he says that public opinion counts a lot. How could I have left that out? :lol: But say for instance I get a job as an engineer with BOSS or DOD or Ibanez later, and I have had TI send me samples regularly for the past 10 years, am I going to turn around and design a pedal with other parts? No! I will probably take that nice chip that only TI makes and incorporate it into my pedal if it's applicable. Once again TI has invested in their future. I respect that opinion though, mike, at least you're saying what you're thinking Get well soon with your back!

[smoguzbenjamin]

Oh and Jered I was totally honest with TI saying that the parts were for a personal project. They sent me the parts anyway

[gez]

I have to say I’m with MikeB on this one.  Are ICs really that expensive for the majority of you?  Especially if you’re in work (no matter how low paid!).  Believe me, if I can afford to buy stuff YOU can!

How many of you are REALLY going to end up working with some large electronics manufacturer and end up placing huge orders with the firms you’re getting all the freebies from?!  

I’ve read some pretty lame justifications for what you’re all doing.  I’m no angel so I’m not going to say DON’T do it, only I wouldn’t feel comfortable ripping these companies off.  Just because they’re large faceless corporations doesn’t make it OK.

[smoguzbenjamin]

I don't have a job so if I can save a few bucks on opamps I will

One TI sample order is enough to keep me going for a real long time, I don't see the harm in having one order last me for over 5 months. Hell probably even longer. I don't feel that we're ripping these companies off, they are offering these samples, and they actually have 'personal project' as an option to what the parts are going to be used for. Once again it ain't costing them much to send me a bunch of samples, they make millions. If they couldn't afford it, they wouldn't be offering samples. Plus it's not like I'm ordering 10 dollar ICs. The most expensive ones I ordered were the photodiodes, which are chips that I wouldn't have bought if I had to pay their full amount, something like $2. I wouldn't have thought it worth it.  Two dollars is 5% of my monthly pocket money! So that's why I placed one sample order.

But I'm going to shut up about this now before I get myself into trouble :lol:

[Gringo]

Two dollars is 5% of my monthly pocket money! So that's why I placed one sample order.

My budget goes up to u$s 15 a month for other than food, rent, etc. And that much in a GOOD month  :lol:

Let the samples come to me, i say  :twisted:

[smoguzbenjamin]

Someone who knows what I'm talking about :mrgreen:

[jimmy]

yeah i can dig that....

ive started a new money consuming hobby... model cars! such fun, but so expensive. this means the stompbox production will slow a bit, so the money i dont spend on opamps can be spent on paint.

rock on

cheers
Jim

[smoguzbenjamin]

A buddy of mine makes model anything, from hovercraft to planes. You don't wanna know what insane amounts of money he pays for the little combustion engines!

[petemoore]

Gas and Electric...
 I musta spent about  500 a month on that.
 Them little cars...run just like big racers...shocks steering...rediculous !!!
 They sure are fun though.
 One reason I quit [I liked the gas cars...wheelies...extended burnouts...doughnuts etc..really unbelievable what they can do}...oh yea the one reason I quit was I didn't like getting all gassed up...all over my hands and sometimes clothes...the smell anyway...but mainly the amount of money it takes....gas, parts, maintenance, batteries, etc et etc etc. ...Spensive little buggars...I had that thing runnin just amazing though...dogs and kids loved it...the little cars would draw them out...run that thing for about one minute and there's a crowd !!!...lol

[gez]

At the risk of being stoned to death (albeit virtually), the phrase “Entitlement Syndrome” keeps coming to mind when I read through many of these posts.

It would be nice if everything in life were free, but unfortunately it's not.  Does this mean we’re entitled to the things we can’t afford, at the expense of others?  I’m afraid not.

Justify this all you like, but if you can’t afford these things then you’re not living within your means (no matter how low).  Life is all about compromise and making sacrifices.  It took me a long time to learn this lesson but I feel happier for it.

I’m not a right-winger or anything (far from it, and I’ve even surprised myself with this response), and I’m not coming at this from the religious angle either (dyed-in-wool Darwinist), just a little food for thought…up to you what you do at the end of the day.

[smoguzbenjamin]

up to you what you do at the end of the day.

Let's keep it at that. No hard feelings, right guys?

[javacody]

No hard feelings from me at all. I've been honest with all of the samples I've ordered.

Maybe its the industry I work in, but we get all kinds of marketing crap from companies for free and I don't see this as being much different, other than this marketing crap isn't something that I will chuck in the garbage can at the end of the day.

It may be entitlement syndrome, but I doubt it. I don't live in a country where you can sponge off the government for very long. I have to pay for all of my own medical expenses and if I lose my job, I have to find another one quick, I can't live off of an unemployment benefit indefinitely.

Glass houses and all...

[strungout]

Hmm I'd like to add one thing about our little moral discussion . I've read a few Samples FAQs that some manufacturers post on their websites, and one of the things that came up a few times is the warning that these samples are not to be used for applications in which human lives could be threatened (hmm, Ima order some sample to fix that laser eye surgery thingie....), because these samples could be from an older batch than the one they ship when you buy a batch of 500 000 of em

Tho they're good enough to put in a stompbox

It's good that this issue came up tho, maybe make people aware of the difference between using or abusing the system

Ciao.

[smoguzbenjamin]

You know the fact that the chips could be from an old batch didn't even occur to me.

[gez]

It may be entitlement syndrome, but I doubt it. I don't live in a country where you can sponge off the government for very long. I have to pay for all of my own medical expenses and if I lose my job, I have to find another one quick, I can't live off of an unemployment benefit indefinitely.

Glass houses and all...

I didn’t quite mean it like that.  

Every successive generation takes for granted what their forefathers had to struggle/work hard for.  As we acclimatise to a comfortable standard of living we learn to (are encouraged and pressurised to!) take it all for granted.  It gets to the point where we EXPECT everything in life and don’t feel that we should make any sacrifices - “I’ve always had it in the past why should I compromise?!”  It fosters a “something for nothing” mentality which, I feel, is getting a little out of control.  One only has to look at the growing amount of debt that many in the West (well, in this country at any rate) are finding themselves in to see the negative side to all this.  Not to mention litigation and rise in rates of depression.

I’m uncertain as to why this particular subject rankles me so much, but after a little thought I think it’s nothing more than the Englishman in me (“fair play” and all that).

I doubt that there are many amongst you who genuinely can’t afford to buy what you’re expecting for free.  And at the risk of being nominated for "Pompous Ass of the Year Award 2004", for those that can’t then perhaps you have your priorities wrong - concentrate on feeding yourself/feeding your family/overthrowing your govnt./whatever.  

For those of you playing the justification game, and trotting out the ‘why shouldn’t I?!” gambit, ask yourself (and I’m playing devils advocate here - I’m honestly not THAT bothered about all this!) “why should I?”.

Please feel free to tell me to f*ck right off, as Ben said “no hard feelings!”.

This is my last post on the matter.  Let’s just agree to disagree and get back to finding some uses for all your booty!