richardt@orstcs.UUCP (richardt) (08/25/85)
Okay folks, more on the hobbyist group. Much to my surprise, I didn't get much flak about the venture capitalist ideas. I did, however, get a number of questions bout the online databook library. This generally ran along the lines of "let the big companies do it" comment. Letting the larger companies set up one (or more) national on-line databook libraries seems very unlikely, for the following reasons: 1) They'd have to agree about what who would put on when from where. Because of the known speed of beuracracies, this could make it easier to get a real databook from the company, because they'd take six months to get a chip description posted to the library -- by which time the product is obsolete. 2) They would probably only want to have people who are already buying products use the library. For example, Intel has a large library of applications code and documentation -- all of which you can get if Intel becomes a regular, high volume distributor to your company! 3) The idea of a toll-free number goes out the window. If you have the brains and backing to become a buyer of their products, you have the money to pay for long distance phone bills to read the databooks. On a similar topic, Intel now charges $165+ for a databook set, unless you can con one out of your local distributor. Even if the companies did get their acts together and set the thing up, would it be useful? For one thing, I doubt that they would be amenable to adding extra modems and machines whenever the need arises. Another hassle is that they would probably not be able to come out with effective software for the overall system. I also have two other gripes: first, we the hobbyists would not be able to have editorial control of the database; second, we would still be at the mercy of the marketing departments of whichever company implemented the idea. However, not to sound close-minded, I will suggest the idea to my friends at Motorola, and I hope that people here on the net will also suggest it to their sales reps and (in some cases) appropriate supervisors. Thank you for your time, orstcs!richardt "Mother,did it have to be so high?"