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Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
Leo Simpson, B.Bus., FAICD
Editor
Greg Swain, B.Sc.(Hons.)
Technical Staff
John Clarke, B.E.(Elec.)
Robert Flynn
Rick Walters
Reader Services
Ann Jenkinson
Advertising Manager
Brendon Sheridan
Phone (03) 9720 9198
Mobile 0416 009 217
Regular Contributors
Brendan Akhurst
Garry Cratt, VK2YBX
Julian Edgar, Dip.T.(Sec.), B.Ed
John Hill
Mike Sheriff, B.Sc, VK2YFK
Ross Tester
Philip Watson, MIREE, VK2ZPW
Bob Young
Photography
Glenn A. Keep
SILICON CHIP is published 12 times
a year by Silicon Chip Publications
Pty Ltd. A.C.N. 003 205 490. All
material copyright ©. No part of
this publication may be reproduced
without the written consent of the
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Printing: Macquarie Print, Dubbo,
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Editorial & advertising offices:
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PUBLISHER'S LETTER
Marketing hype
doesn’t sell anything
One of the disadvantages of the all the new
so-called high technology devices which are
swamping the market is the high level of marketing nonsense which accompanies these
products. In fact, there is so much “hype”
in today’s marketplace that it must build up
the suspicion, at least in the minds of cynical
buyers, that most of these new products aren’t
what they’re cracked up to be.
It affects us here at SILICON CHIP too. Every day, lots of press releases come
over the desk and when we read some of them we wonder why the companies
concerned ever bothered producing the product; if they need that much hype,
they must be garbage!
As you might expect, a lot of these press releases never see the light of day,
or at least they don’t appear in SILICON CHIP. Others we attempt to make some
sense of, filtering out the real information from the bull. You’d be amazed at how
often a two or three page press release comes down to just a couple of paragraphs.
Just to give you some idea of the level of this nonsense, I’ll give you a few
examples. One of the common claims is that a product is “ergonomically designed”. As far as I can determine, such a product has knobs or buttons on it
which have some function. At least, I don’t think any manufacturer would admit
to producing a device that was “not ergonomically designed”.
Then there are products, often software, which offer “full functionality” on
a PC, Mac or whatever. I think this means that they will work on a PC, Mac or
whatever. I really don’t think that these products would be on sale if they didn’t
offer this “full functionality” but then again, you never know.
Of course, all software that runs under Windows 95 or NT is “interactive and
easy to use” which is, as anyone who has used some of this software knows,
a load of old cobblers. Of course, many CAD programs are intuitive as well,
which I think means that you can use them before you’ve opened the manual.
We know that’s not true either.
And the reason they’re “intuitive” is to “increase the design throughput,
minimising commissioning times and speeding up the product time-to-market
cycle”. Heaven forbid that any product or software would actually slow down
the product time-to-market cycle. That wouldn’t do at all, would it?
For me, much of this hype appears to be written by public relations people who
really don’t have a clue what they are writing about, or perhaps, the products
concerned really don’t have any features worth talking about anyway.
More than ever, the warning “Caveat Emptor” or “Let the Buyer Beware” is as
relevant today as it ever was. So look out. If you see meaningless hype accompanying a product, watch out. And if you are the person who actually writes
this stuff, please don’t.
Leo Simpson
ISSN 1030-2662
WARNING!
SILICON CHIP magazine regularly describes projects which employ a mains power supply or produce high voltage. All such projects should
be considered dangerous or even lethal if not used safely. Readers are warned that high voltage wiring should be carried out according to the
instructions in the articles. When working on these projects use extreme care to ensure that you do not accidentally come into contact with
mains AC voltages or high voltage DC. If you are not confident about working with projects employing mains voltages or other high voltages,
you are advised not to attempt work on them. Silicon Chip Publications Pty Ltd disclaims any liability for damages should anyone be killed
or injured while working on a project or circuit described in any issue of SILICON CHIP magazine. Devices or circuits described in SILICON
CHIP may be covered by patents. SILICON CHIP disclaims any liability for the infringement of such patents by the manufacturing or selling of
any such equipment. SILICON CHIP also disclaims any liability for projects which are used in such a way as to infringe relevant government
regulations and by-laws.
Advertisers are warned that they are responsible for the content of all advertisements and that they must conform to the Trade Practices Act
1974 or as subsequently amended and to any governmental regulations which are applicable.
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