[sdiy] NTE ahhhhhhhh!

[Metrophage]

NTE is just a dumb service for:
1. TV repairmen who need to run out for a part, and pass the extra
expense to customers
2. Stores which feel obligated to stock some electronics parts, but
don't know anything about them, or cannot be bothered to source them
properly

So instead of the expense of hiring a person to do purchasing, you
could get a rack of standard NTE components to keep in stock, and not
think about it. Sucks for just about anybody else!

I used to get the odd NTE part when I lived in Mass, because I could go
to an actual store in Needham which stocked a decent amount of parts,
compared to Rat Shack (which has since gotten even far worse). First
hassle I realized were the nonsensical part numbers, which were a pain
to cross-reference. They obviously do this for the reasons others
mentioned: if they used standard part names, people would quickly see
that the parts are widely available. Nobody needs NTE. Second problem
is that the NTE "replacement" parts are way too expensive. What was
worse was that the store I was going to would NEVER mark the prices on
the NTE parts. So I'd wait fifteen minutes in the checkout line for
somebody to explain to me that quad op-amps cost $6 each!

The NTE phenomenon just bites. I recommend not supporting them in any
form. If you do a web search, you can typically yield a cross-reference
to real parts. Worse case, keep an NTE book just in case, as one can
readily find what the real parts would be. Indeed, this is all I have
used it for.

Colin's idea kicks ass! I don't know Perl though. It's been like two
years since I needed to check an NTE number.


	
		
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