R.I.P. for D.I.Y."

From: Douglas H. Quebbeman <dquebbeman_at_acm.org>
Date: Thu Apr 25 13:46:21 2002

> Nowadays You typically have to deal with distributors - little
> problem for the experienced, but an obstacle to newcomers

Usually, I could just call up the chipmaker/partmaker and ask
for a few enegineering samples. When a 10MB Irwin QIC drive
stopped working, I probed the adress line on the thing's Z-8
(yes, Z8) processor; there was no change, so I figured it was
toast. Called up Zilog (this was 1987), asked for one, got two.

Pull bad chip, insert new chip, got working Irwin drive.

More recently, though, you have to develop a relationship
with a rep from the local distributer (Hamilton-Avnet,
Meunier, Graham, etc).

WORST CASE was Mitel; I needed parts for a mini-PBX I
designed and then never built. I had to buy this guy
*two* martini lunches before i got my parts. Still it
was a bargain...

-dq
Received on Thu Apr 25 2002 - 13:46:21 BST