Policy for TI's free samples changed. - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: neslekkim
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2014, 10:05:24 am
content: Got this in my email this morning:QuoteI hope this only affect my option to get free samples, and not the estore with launchpads though.But what criteria did they use to exclude?, my adress is not an gmail adress, but hosted by gmail, same with a friend of me, who have an company for software&hardware developments got the same email, that he's excluded now.. a bit strange.

author: Dave
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2014, 10:48:25 am
content: I bet they did it because a couple of assholes decided to abuse the system. Now every hobbyist has to suffer the consequences.Well, it's a good thing I'm still in college and have a university email address.

author: lapm
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2014, 11:08:56 am
content: Quote from: neslekkim on November 12, 2014, 10:05:24 amMaybe their network admin messed up and ended up discriminating based on IP-address instead of domain name..

author: neslekkim
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2014, 11:17:36 am
content: Quote from: lapm on November 12, 2014, 11:08:56 amI guess so, I have sendt an question about it, doesnt sound right like this, but I can fully understand the reasoning behind regulating this a bit.

author: dannyf
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2014, 12:12:57 pm
content: In my view, they made the right call.

author: 8086
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2014, 01:03:26 pm
content: Hobbyists shouldn't be requesting samples anyway in my opinion, there is no benefit to TI from hobbyists; the sample system isn't for them, and never really has been.

author: ivan747
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2014, 01:24:19 pm
content: Quote from: Dave on November 12, 2014, 10:48:25 amYeah, well guess what... I'm still in college and teh bastars haven't given me an email address.I could have gotten good discounts on many programs, parts samples and other stuff but they're too lazy or something to provide us with a simple 50MB email account.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2014, 01:30:00 pm
content: A domain name plus email costs, what, $12 a year? Get one.

author: Rufus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2014, 01:32:43 pm
content: We already had a thread about thishttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/texas-instruments-to-hobbyists-no-soup-for-you!/

author: ivan747
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2014, 01:46:59 pm
content: Quote from: tom66 on November 12, 2014, 01:30:00 pmHo** S**t! I just remembered someone in my family recently registered a business-looking domain name

author: rob77
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2014, 03:06:48 pm
content: Quote from: 8086 on November 12, 2014, 01:03:26 pmi'm a hobbyist and i never ever requested a free sample... but i disagree with you. usually a hobbyist have some EE friends designing products... and even that hobbyist can provide some useful feedback to those EEs

author: neslekkim
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2014, 03:11:26 pm
content: Quote from: tom66 on November 12, 2014, 01:30:00 pmIf you read my post, I said I don't use gmail adress, but it's hosted by gmail, what should that tell you?, righ, I have my own domainname, but use Google to host it. (neslekkim.net)My friend that was also revoked, HAS an company, HAS an own domain name, as is registered for software and HARDWARE work.So, it's more to it than that..And yes, they did the right thing, but for me here in Norway, it have been an nice way to get some parts, but if I had same way of using mouser, digikey etc as you have in US, without paying $30+ in shipping everytime you need something.. If I add up to $100, I get free shipping, but then i get taxed by $30 and 25% on top of everything..If we could order a couple of chips now an then, I wouldn't have said anything..For now, I found that I can use Farnell, just need to pester my friend who have an company, but Farnell lacks lot of things..Ok, I'm rambling, but..

author: 8086
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2014, 03:14:58 pm
content: Quote from: rob77 on November 12, 2014, 03:06:48 pmWe're talking business here, not six degrees of separation...

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2014, 04:18:59 pm
content: What was National Semiconductor's free sample policy?I wonder if this change has anything to do with less competition after acquiring National Semiconductor.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2014, 04:58:15 pm
content: Didn't TI always use FedEx for shipping samples? Maybe it was shipping cost that shut down the freebies. I know I bought a TTL data book from them once for 10 cents and they shipped it Next Day FedEx for free.Never have understood why more places can't just use cheap 1st class mail for small, light weight stuff.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2014, 05:12:15 pm
content: TI always used Digikey to ship samples, at least for me. I'd be ok with 1 week delay. It's impossible to buy many parts from Farnell here and free samples avoid the import fees and shipping cost - personally I'd be ok with paying for shipping and parts, but for it works out to be £20 (£12 + £8 import fee) + 20% VAT, way too much to make many projects practical :/

author: neslekkim
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2014, 05:51:19 pm
content: Quote from: rdl on November 12, 2014, 04:58:15 pmStill do, or they changed to DHL in europe now, so ordering launchpads and stuff, free shipment.. amazingQuote from: rdl on November 12, 2014, 04:58:15 pmYes, I guess it's more work, they probably have automated system for packing, shipping, and small stuff is maybe problematic.I order from proto-advantage, adafruit, sparkfun etc, good shippingprices, but from time to time, there are items that mouser have, that is very cheap in quantities, but the price is killed by the shippingcost.So with free samples from various companies, one avoided that, But I wouldn't need nextday shipment as it was, they could have an "hobbyist" option, to make us buy original stuff, instead of using ebay an buying knockoffs..I usually don't mind knockoffs since I'm not selling stuff, if I'm selling, I would need other quantities, and faster delivery, so then mouser, digikey, farnell etc would be preferered of course.

author: Dave
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2014, 07:57:29 pm
content: Quote from: 8086 on November 12, 2014, 01:03:26 pmOn the contrary, I believe.Many of the young hobbyists end up being real engineers later in life. Which parts do you think they would rather use, from a company that was nice to them all along, or a company that didn't care about them until they got employed?I ordered samples from TI two or three times in the last couple of years. I wouldn't think twice, if I was designing a board that would be stamped in the thousands and TI had the right chips for it.

author: 8086
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2014, 08:09:27 pm
content: Quote from: Dave on November 12, 2014, 07:57:29 pmSo you think TI should be afraid of the possibility that hobbyists might one day be in a position to make a decision on a 100,000 unit production product and therefore give out free samples to everyone now?Business. Hobbyists don't matter, no matter if they become the lead design engineer at a huge company in 15 years time or not. What matters is who the design engineers aretoday.You reckon the amount of hobbyists that eventually become the decision maker in a way that actually affects TI is something they should worry about? I certainly don't.It's nice to have a fuzzy-wuzzy "I'll show TI they shouldn't have done this, when I'm the boss" and "but someday I'll be someone important!" attitude but this is real life.I was a hobbyist, now I'm a professional. But I think this is a great business move from TI. Giving free samples to every tom, dick, and harry is bad for business. They ship the samples fast which costs money - this is so businesses don't have downtime waiting for them. It's all about business, not about hobbyists. That's it, fuzzy feelings don't count.And if you like TI, as a hobbyist you can, and I know this is a controversial statement,buy their parts with money!Then you can choose the part that is best for your application, not based on some bizarre "I'm mad because I couldn't have my free thing" logic.

author: DEHiCKA
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2014, 10:06:29 am
content: Quote from: neslekkim on November 12, 2014, 10:05:24 amSame with me. Small US based hardware development company with it's own domain. Only one account with three or four sample orders per year from TI. Still got this e-mail.

author: Zeta
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2014, 11:51:48 am
content: Quote from: Dave on November 12, 2014, 07:57:29 pmI would expect they would use the right part for the job, that's probably the part that is good enough for the job and is the least expensive to implement. Otherwise they wouldn't be doing a good engineering job.

author: dannyf
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2014, 11:54:41 am
content: QuoteSo maybe TI should amend their policy to offer parts to hobbyists if and only if they are younger than, say, 15 years?

author: rob77
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2014, 11:57:01 am
content: everyone is talking about big business...if i'm running a big company making 100k+ products of a kind.. then i don't give a flying shit about a $10 worth of free samples. don't you think guys ?the free samples are a form ofadvertising, not a way of doing business.

author: 8086
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2014, 12:28:45 pm
content: Quote from: rob77 on November 13, 2014, 11:57:01 amIt's a very expensive way to advertise and thus they are targeting the people who matter. I.e. not hobbyists.

author: DenzilPenberthy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2014, 02:13:44 pm
content: I'm going to stick my oar in and say I totally agree with 8086. The point of free samples is not to supply hobbyists with free parts which they ought to be buying from Farnell or RS. The point of free samples is that it allows you as a professional engineer to avoid the monumental hassle of having to go to your purchasing department and deal with tonnes of paperwork, requisitions, purchase orders etc etc etc to get a few odd chips to tinker with and try out at your bench.

author: SNGLinks
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2014, 02:14:09 pm
content: When I was in school in the early 60s I wrote to Mullard, a well known valve and semiconductor manufacturer at the time, for some samples. I received a box of many transistors that were out of spec or marked incorrectly. There were some OC16's with the EB markings the wrong way round.They were great for experimenting with. Always thought that Mullard was a great company!

author: DEHiCKA
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2014, 07:55:52 pm
content: Apparently, TI is reading this threadJust recieved an email:Quote

author: SirNick
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2014, 08:31:05 pm
content: [quote author=Dave link=topic=38808.msg548805#msg548805 date=1415822249Many of the young hobbyists end up being real engineers later in life. Which parts do you think they would rather use, from a company that was nice to them all along, or a company that didn't care about them until they got employed?Statistically "many"? Nah. Probably some percentage close to 100% grow up to design PCBs with a shift register, some passives, and an LED on it; license it as OSHW; then try to sell a few to legions of people who would rather use a 4 sq.in. PCB with pin headers than put some bare parts in a breadboard. I suspect the return on TI's investment here would be in the negatives.As far as which company that future big-shot engineer is likely to use... well, in the usual case, it will be the one that costs 0.001 cents less per unit than their competitors. Brand loyalty is about as important as the color of floor tile in the Chinese fab house that manufacturers their product.Man I'm getting cynical in my old age.

author: nuno
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2014, 08:42:37 pm
content: I have my own domain etc etc and received the email. I just wrote them back saying I'm legit and asking about email classification criteria for samples. They wrote me back 1 or 2 days after saying they had "verified me" and all is well, so back on the samples wagon.

author: rob77
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2014, 09:45:45 pm
content: Quote from: 8086 on November 13, 2014, 12:28:45 pmactually it's (or at least it was) a cheap form of advertising... cheaper than advertising in TV or printed media - that's the reason why the companies even started to give out free samples (not just silicon - but in general) as form of advertising... nowadays the advertising on internet is cheaper and better targeted, so it might happen that the free samples are more expensive than the advertising on the internet...but on the other hand - most of the users are using adblock while browsing, most of the readers of printed media are just not paying attention to advertisements and finally most of the users watching TV are wildly changing channels during advertising block.... so if you want to have a effective a well targeted advertisement - then the free samples are the cheapest waybut anyways it's a form of "cheap" advertising - don't forget that the $10 worth of samples are not a $10 cost ! the costs are the manufacturing costs - and that's a fraction of the retail price

author: alank2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2014, 11:33:02 pm
content: I received an email from TI today saying to disregard their message about limiting samples to specific email addresses... Maybe they thought the better of the policy change?

author: Spikee
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2014, 12:09:00 am
content: I have an company and I'm also an uni. student but I was also denied samples while I always have used my business email.From then on I have been avoiding using TI parts as much as possible.yes I know that I can register my email and get samples via TI but I find that if they want my business the minimum that they can do is pay for the few samples I order from time to time.Smaller Companies like LT, AD, Maxim send samples out without any hassle.