[sdiy] Farnell (Arrow too?) just diched the LM13600

[Colin Hinz]

On Wed, 9 Jun 2004, Harry Bissell Jr wrote:

> Mouser carries the NJM13600 and 13700... I'd
> deal with them.
>
> Arrow etc seem to be in the evil clutches of MBAs
> who only want to sell high quantity to cell phone
> makers (who don't use the 13600).
>
> Mouser has been an excellent supplier and they get
> my business FIRST
>
> H^) harry  (not affiliated with Mouser, except as far
> as they support small orders VERY well)

Over the years, I've worked at jobs ranging from freelance (briefly,
as I hated the administration) to large corporations with thousands
of employees. I don't dislike of the Arrows and Avnets of the
world -- there is a segment of the distribution market which needs
to serve large customers and the bureaucratic (but very well
organised) purchasing systems that they use. If a few of the
distributors have the muscle to go after this business, all the
power to 'em.

There will always be small companies, as well as "skunkworks"
operations run by the Big Boys, so there'll always be distis
who will specialize in this market. A mile or so from where I
work there's a distributor (Electrosonic) that's been around
for over a half a century, and while it has grown considerably
it hasn't forsaken its original customer base of small
R&D companies, repair shops, and hams. They appear to be doing
quite well, too.

- Colin Hinz
  Toronto, Canada