Tomorrow is my last shipping day for MOTM stuff until Jan 2010. This does
not mean I stop working completely (far from it). Rather, I'm not going to
ship past tomorrow. The mail system is 100% clogged as it is, and the week
after Christmas is when most people are away from home/office.
I have begun shipping kits, and Shane the tech will be assisting in
finishing up all the kitting until every last one is out the door. I still
plan on adding a few kits to the cart at 6PM Monday Texas Time. I am not
putting many in there because then I'll get swamped again (like in June
2006) and I'll never break the cycle. The MOTM 2.0 parts will remain,
without a cost increase for 2010. I also do not plan on any price increases
for the assembled modules before June 2010.
The main thing that I did in 2009 was reduce the assembled backlog 92% from
where it was in the summer of 2008 (it's peak) and introduce the 2 new Euro
modules (in the US, these are available from www.analoguehaven.com). The
Euro modules replace the CEM ICs as my 'background' revenue stream. I have
∗zero∗ plans to drop the MOTM 5U modules. Rather, I am constantly thinking
up new stuff to do. Color LCDs w/touch panels have dropped 5X in 2 years
(see my Gift Suggestion below). The amount of raw computing power you can
get for < $15 (in both FPGAs and stand-alone processors) is getting
ridiculous compared to when MOTM started in Feb. 1998.
As of today, I have shipped ~ 8700 MOTM modules (assembled, kits, Frac) to
707 individuals. The MOTM "Law of 12s" is still accurate (since 2000, the
average number of modules per customer has been 12). I have 3 large orders
still on the books and about 33 other assembled modules left to go in order
to be at a zero backlog (not counting the kits, there are like 44 on the
books now + whatever is added next week). It's going to be a strange feeling
to hit zero backlog, but if things go well with Euro sales (early returns
are encouraging) the benefit is: more R&D time.
I want to thank each and every one of you reading this for supporting my
little 'hobby'. MOTM would not be possible if it were not for my virtual
contributors: Doug Kraul (MOTM-300 VCO), Juregen Haible (just about
everything else), Eric Brombaugh (E340/E350), Scott 'Old Crow' Rider
(MOTM-730), Scott Deyo (BrideChamber), Gunnar Lockwood (new web and panel
designs), Robert Rich (musical ear to all my nonsense) and my past
contributors: Larry Hendry and Paul Haneberg. All I do is get in people's
way :)
I still think MOTM is the best there is in terms of the "stuff" but also the
user community. Where else can you get bill of materials AND good food?
(www.dragonflyalley.com). What other manufacturer has the depth and detail
of Dave Brown's (
http://modularsynthesis.com/motm/motm.htm) or Richard
Brewster's (www.pugix.com) sites? MOTM wins the internets.
But on to the most important item: my Gift Suggestion (a bit late, consider
it "What to I get myself this year that's cool and not too expensive?").
It's called the Chumby One, at www.chumby.com a $99 450MHz Linux wi-fi
web-appliance that looks like a small desk clock. And as Granny liked to
say, it's slicker than greased owl sh∗t. It has the same 'backend widgets'
as an iPhone: except they are all free :) You select what (and for how long)
the Chumby displays and if you want what music to stream as well. Like an
iPhone it has a 3-axis motion detector so you can wag it around for games.
The color touch panel is outstanding. It's also full open-source HW and SW.
If you plug a USB keyboard into the USB port a Linux command line appears :)
If you like "gadgets" I can't think of a cooler one for the money.
I'll be working hard until Jan. 10th when I start back "officially". Merry
Christmas, everyone!
Paul Schreiber
Synthesis Technology
Chief Cook & Bottle Washer