F.A.O. Dave Jones.  Message from Fluke - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: snipersquad100
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 14, 2014, 07:08:29 pm
content: Hi DaveI just had this message off fluke after contacting them about one of those fluke 117 kits.Only just realised it was a april folls.YoUUU BuggerHello John,Thank you for your message. While we’ve received an overwhelming interest in the 114/117 DIY Fluke Kit featuredin EEVblog #597, it was in fact developed by Dave Jones from scratch, for fun, as an April Fool’s joke. We don’t currentlyhave plans to build this kit, but we are certainly passing your enthusiasm for it on to our product planning team. Join us incongratulating Dave on a well-executed prank!Best,The Fluke TeamP.s you wont get me next year.

author: snipersquad100
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 14, 2014, 07:09:38 pm
content: .

author: Dongulus
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 14, 2014, 08:02:42 pm
content: Brilliant.I was oblivious as well but I didn't suffer the embarrassment of contacting Fluke.

author: snipersquad100
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 14, 2014, 08:05:41 pm
content: Its heart breaking, I really thought id be able to get my hands on a fluke lol

author: hooverphonique
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 14, 2014, 08:40:20 pm
content: Excellent!I also hadn't realized it was a prank

author: David Aurora
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 10:15:44 am
content: How did I not check the date on that video??!! Hahaha. Yeah, you got me too Dave

author: iloveelectronics
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 10:28:01 am
content: I think one of the reasons this one got so many people is that Dave started it with the legitimate Sparkfun story, so nobody saw that coming!

author: deephaven
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 10:33:08 am
content: I got taken it too. Never suspected a thing. Very well done Dave

author: TMM
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 10:46:49 am
content: He didn't get me but i thought he was going to open the fluke bag and assemble a sparkfun multimeter, pretending that he mistook it for a fluke.

author: leppie
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 11:49:27 am
content: Me too

author: Sionyn
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 12:44:20 pm
content: i think the intrest shows they should do it, come on fluke

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 12:47:50 pm
content: I'm astounded that so many fell for me, in fact almost everyone. By far my most successful one to date.I only put it together at the last minute because all my other (better I thought) ideas fell through.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 12:49:06 pm
content: Fluke will still be getting tweets, facebook messages and emails for yearsBecause most people don't read the comments before reply replying.I still get emails and youtube comments on previous years jokes.

author: Richard Crowley
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 12:49:15 pm
content: Wow, Dave really sucked me into that! That was one of the best tricks I have seen in a long time.It seems extraordinarily unlikely that Fluke would sell a kit version of any of their flagship products. These things are used to ensure that other circuits are operating properly, and any screwup or accident during assembly could easily render the meter inaccurate or deceptive. If I were Fluke's lawyers, I wouldn't advise it. Although I would love to have a DMM kit.

author: Excavatoree
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 01:05:40 pm
content: Quote from: Richard Crowley on April 15, 2014, 12:49:15 pmWould it help if the brand ID clearly indicated it was a kit? Maybe use a brand like "Flukekit" or even something else? Perhaps a "117-kit?" That way, they would be clearly identifiable as subject to the skill of the assembler. Maybe even a different color (ha ha) or something?

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 01:19:40 pm
content: Quote from: Richard Crowley on April 15, 2014, 12:49:15 pmThe Chinese have them, althoughthey weren't the first(look at the date).

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 01:39:34 pm
content: Quote from: Richard Crowley on April 15, 2014, 12:49:15 pmWhy not, one of the most respected Japanese makers, Sanwa has a kit meter:http://overseas.sanwa-meter.co.jp/items/detail.php?id=83

author: Tris20
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 01:39:54 pm
content: It didn't even cross my mind this was a prank. Even after finding nothing about it on the fluke website. I'll be on my toes next year

author: ErikTheNorwegian
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 01:45:47 pm
content: Sanwa has in fact two kit . One DMM and one analog kit.Both have i seen and both seems like a very ok meters as a DYI project.http://overseas.sanwa-meter.co.jp/items/index.php?id=18

author: Little Brutus
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 02:09:11 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on April 15, 2014, 12:47:50 pmAt least for me in the Eastern Timezone in Canada, the original post for #597 shows as March 31st.... not April 1st <G>... wonder if that allowed more folks to get fooled....

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 03:10:53 pm
content: The labels on the plastic baggies gave it away.Not colored, no fluke logo , not nearly enough partnumbers and barcodes.

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 03:30:56 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on April 15, 2014, 01:39:34 pmBut are they respected forsafety? And are they located in a lawyer's paradise?

author: 6E5
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2014, 12:36:08 am
content: WHAT? No..... No....You got me 100% fooled mate.There were so many warning signs, but I was oblivious. Man, I trusted you.Never again though! Next time I'll be on my toes.

author: Phaedrus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2014, 12:41:07 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on April 15, 2014, 01:39:34 pmThat looks quite nice. For a reasonable price I might pick one up as a project. Anyone know where to get it in the US?

author: rexxar
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2014, 02:18:19 am
content: I can't believe I fell for it either! I was so excited to get a fluke kit!!Hopefully with everyone and their dog asking for a kit, fluke will actually make one.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 16, 2014, 10:32:57 am
content: Quote from: c4757p on April 15, 2014, 03:30:56 pmI would say so, yes. Fluke just have better marketing.

author: Rigby
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2014, 02:21:23 pm
content: Dammit, I thought it was real. I wasn't going to buy one, but I thought it was neat.I fucking hate the internet on 1 April. The ENTIRE Internet becomes useless on that day, because folks like Dave are becoming better and better at tricking people. I hate how 1 April has become an reason and an excuse to lie and fuck with people. ugh. The whole thing sickens me. I hate pranks. Yes, i'm serious.

author: kayvee
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2014, 02:30:17 pm
content: It was that Fluke carry bag that it came in that sent the big red alarm bells ringing for me.Close, but no cigar O0

author: grumpydoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2014, 02:37:48 pm
content: QuoteI realised at the bit where Dave said Fluke wanted to give something back to the maker community after the Sparkfun thing - that didn't ring true and in any case large companies tend to have too much internal inertia to respond in that sort of time-frame. After that I noticed the date.

author: TheAmmoniacal
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 16, 2014, 03:03:17 pm
content: I sent a tweet twice to FlukeCorp asking for details and release date, only to hear on The Amp Hour some days later that it was an April Fool's joke. Got me there.