Such a little anti-advertising for the company Texas Instrument - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: max-bit
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2021, 06:09:10 pm
content: Such a little anti-advertising for the company Texas Instrument.Someone will ask why?And I will explain that.I have an account at TI.com and sometimes ordered IC samplesNot many items once in a while.What's the problem? Well, I had to change my email address (in the same domain). And what and they blocked me from accessing the samples because I only changed my email address, BECAUSE YES. Without any meaningful explanation.If this company approaches this, thank you, there are other companies, no one will do me a favor.

author: Benta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2021, 07:00:55 pm
content: As a company with +$14B revenue, I'm more surprised that they even accept you as a customer. TI is one of the few major semiconductor suppliers that even do this kind of trade. Most others use distributors, that then sell to dealers, who then sell to you.Does that put your gripe in perspective?

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2021, 07:13:27 pm
content: Quote from: max-bit on March 18, 2021, 06:09:10 pmSo? Your conclusion is that TI is a very bad company because there was a hiccup with your online account, which could have any reason, including simply a bug. They may also have some automated filtering on some email providers or something. Best thing to do in this case is just contact support and ask them to reactivate your account. Have you tried before whining?

author: max-bit
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2021, 07:20:25 pm
content: If I didn't try, it wouldn't irritate me so muchYes, I tried, answer No because no, no justification.And the reason I wrote is because I changed my email address.From xy@domain.com to yx@domain.comIt's like they would take your driving license because you changed the color of the bumper on your car

author: Benta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2021, 08:09:54 pm
content: You just don't get it, do you?You've been supplied free samples from TI, and because you changed your email and don't get free stuff anymore, it's now a junk company?Wow.I think you need to get your view of the world recalibrated.

author: JohnnyMalaria
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2021, 08:11:45 pm
content: Quote from: max-bit on March 18, 2021, 06:09:10 pmDo you mean "sometimes I get FREE IC samples"? Or are you actually paying for them? If the first, I don't see the issue.I recently got $100-worth of free ADC chips from Analog Devices. If I have a problem next time I log in, I'm not going to shit on them in a public forum.

author: m98
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2021, 08:53:49 pm
content: Just as a practical hint, whatever is going on with you account might just be a technical error. Why don't you just try to register a new one?As for the free samples, of course it is very generous of those companies to provide them, but it's also a good business decision.If you're working at a corporation trying to evaluate parts for a design, would you prefer the ones your purchasing department might procure in a few months if you're lucky?

author: magic
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2021, 09:16:37 pm
content: It's known that TI management isn't fond of sample requests from "consumer" email addresses. Something about years of abuse by audiophools and the like.Consider yourself lucky that the old address workedOr maybe it stopped working long ago and you didn't notice because you ordered for a while.

author: ejeffrey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2021, 09:44:38 pm
content: Quote from: magic on March 18, 2021, 09:16:37 pmWhich is a bit weird because I consider sample programs mostly only a handout to hobbyists and kind of a relic. With the vast majority of parts available from online distributors in quantity 1-5 with fast shipping, I don't bother with sample programs for work. Most of the time I need more than 1 part anyway and I would rather just get them all in a single order from digikey our mouser than request free samples from several vendors. I assume they only keep them around at all because some companies have archaic purchasing systems and haven't heard about using credit cards for small orders.

author: phil from seattle
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2021, 09:55:33 pm
content: Quote from: ejeffrey on March 18, 2021, 09:44:38 pmI bet it was more along the lines of the company changed their requirements for entry to the sample program and tightened up the email address criteria. But, didn't purge existing people. Changing domains probably triggered their newer requirements.

author: Nusa
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2021, 10:03:44 pm
content: This sorta falls under the heading of: If it ain't broke[for you], don't fix it.

author: Mecanix
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2021, 10:08:45 pm
content: Quote from: max-bit on March 18, 2021, 07:20:25 pmI am in no position to call bs but I can say with confidence that what you're reporting is inaccurate, max-bit. What were their words-for-words on the situation exactly? I'm sure they have explained to you that this is an automated system (I seriously doubt someone is manually scrutinizing those million of accounts) and this could simply be a mistake. Perhaps you've irritated your customer support rep by being impatient leading to a short'er conversation than usual?!Might be worth trying again in a day or two when calmed down a bit? If you are a genuine paid customer historically then I don't see any reason (domain chg or not) why they would block you...

author: JohnnyMalaria
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2021, 10:11:39 pm
content: I don't think offering free samples is a sign of an archaic system.In December, I was researching ADCs and saw one of interest on Analog Devices' site. I could have purchased direct (min. quantity 250) or followed the links to Digikey/Mouser. But there was also the free sample option. I was allowed to order two, so I did. I then had to wait for the next production run - certainly not just for samples lying around. I received them in February fully packaged in a tray, with desiccant pouches and vacuum sealed in foil laminate. They were sent Fed Ex Overnight from Singapore. I built a test circuit based on their reference design (my first ever attempt at SMD!) and the ADC works better than I hoped. So, it will go into my overall design.

author: magic
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2021, 10:33:09 pm
content: Well, here's the other side of free sample programs:Johny The Audio Tuner has heard that the OPA2111 precision JFET operational amplifier fabbed on a super expensive unicorn process straight from 1980s is supposed to be better than his older OPA2134 because the datasheet advertises that it has a noise free cascodeObviously you want to have a noise free cascode, right? But it costs some ludicrous money, so let's sample it. Multiply by thousands of such Johnys after the word gets out. And none of it will ever contribute to actual sales, because the whole hobby works like that.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2021, 11:17:30 pm
content: Quote from: ejeffrey on March 18, 2021, 09:44:38 pmGoing through purchasing is generally a hassle. Some people don't have the luxury of just purchasing with CC, due to management.So there are still quite a few people that will prefer to use sample programs.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2021, 12:03:30 am
content: Quote from: SiliconWizard on March 18, 2021, 07:13:27 pmI guess not. TI is very helpfull. Even with issues with their website caused by ad-blocking software.

author: magic
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2021, 06:29:32 am
content: Wait, they have ads? Like, you can be Analog and rent Goolag ads space on TI.com?

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2021, 07:54:10 am
content: the work email policy kind of sucks with all these guys, half the time it is almost silly to ask about doing it when you are doing semi-related research in your spare time and alot of companies don't want to be involved. Totally ruins any kind of pleasant surprise you can offer your boss.As soon as you involve a company there is almost like a unwritten expectation and deadline related to parts and it can influence things making people think you are working on stuff and shaping their work around it or making guesses as to what you are working on so its better not to get the samples anymore, privacy was superior. Or even its snobby and like 'oh you had to use those parts to figure that out?'.Also its real dumb because there is alot of people doing kickstarters and stuff like that, there are no companies but potentially alot of sales if you get the right part in place (foot in the door) at the early development stage of prototypes, which get cemented to circuit topologies pretty quick in the design process when a corporate structure is established, and the corporate structure generally prohibits or inhibits vendor change.. they have a better chance of their parts being accepted if they just appear with confidence in a good design rather then having the obnoxious 'so did you use company resources to order any samples lately?' thing. (where is the vomiting smiley?). 'this is generally not a preferred vendor because of cost'It seems some how greasy to involve the boss.And sometimes it takes quite an arsenal of parts to get some momentum and general good feelings about a company.So its the usual 'they are not big enough' aka my fingers are way too fat and clumsy and I can't pick up the shiny new quarters only the wrinkly old dollars. Sometimes I wonder how many people are running around dunes of quarters getting exhausted trying to chase bills flying with the wind then just scooping up some change...

author: mikerj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2021, 07:54:49 am
content: Quote from: magic on March 19, 2021, 06:29:32 amHe didn't say that, only that ad-blocking software was causing problems on their website which is a pretty common issue with ad-blockers.