free stuff

Lab Rat

does any one know how to get free or discounted products for promoting Parallax products· to others????

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
I`m not prejudice I hate everyone equally

Mike Green

I've not known Parallax to work this way. They're very generous in supporting projects like the recent Propeller user get-together in Ohio where they sent staff carrying goodies for "door prizes" and the like and they've provided hardware for people writing books, but usually people have to have already been working on these projects for their own reasons and they get noticed and sometimes offers of assistance are made. Parallax will also donate equipment to institutions like schools for specific projects.

Lab Rat

oh darn
i am using the bs2 on my graduation project and i promoted it to another student to use on there graduation project and they are definately buying.
i have promoted th stamp to a graphics design class to build automated can crusher. it is all for fun
PS. Dont Mess with the Zohan

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
I`m not prejudice I hate everyone equally

SRLM

Take joy in the fact that you're promoting a good company, and you'll never feel undersold.

Ken Gracey

Interesting topic. You know, we've been taken advantage of several times with free stuff. I'll give you some examples. We've had inquiries funnel into the company via different people who've both sent our freebies concurrently. Once we get together and talk at lunch we put the puzzle together. Other times we've donated to clubs or groups only to find out that the donations didn't make their way to the intended people, staying with the person who requested them on behalf of the group. And finally, we've given donations that we subsequently see for sale on eBay.

Situations like these cause small companies to take on big-company thinking, forming policies to prevent abuse. They'll start by asking for marketing proposals, agreements, and saddle the receiver with requirements. But abusers won't dictate our policies. It's not worth letting a few people wreck the trust for the honest ones, but I'll let you know that they're out there and often trying to take advantage of generosity. We may get abused 1 out of 10 times (or more, or less) but that is factored into our free product budget.

My response is not really applicable to Lab Rat's question, for which I am sorry. As far as that specific question, several people in our office keep watch over our customers and identify opportunities to send out free products. We don't have a referral program, however. It's a really loose arrangement under which we send out free products, by design. There's very little criteria. Sometimes our staff wants to thank a customer; other times they may want to build a relationship with somebody new or help somebody else who is in need yet holds promise for learning. It all depends.

Ken Gracey
Parallax, Inc.

P.S. to SLRM: thank you kindly.

Post Edited (Ken Gracey (Parallax)) : 10/12/2008 5:09:37 AM GMT

Lab Rat

that sucks. if your trying to get freebies for a good cause such as a club it is irresponsible to keep the stuff that is just wrong i completely understand where you are coming from Ken. to be honest i was surprised you actually replied.
is there any literature that you would suggest to help a slow learner to get aquired with the full possiblities of programming the stamp. (I learn a lot and i understand a lot but programming is my weak point)
i was asking about the freebies due to the act that i am still in high school and i have a limited budget i do however go to Berks Career and Technology Center for Robotics And Automation Techology my job title will soon be Electro-Mechanical Technician, so i should be set to get a good job.
are there any dealer oppurtunities avialable in about a year to tell the truth i was planning on starting a small business to sell electronics and repair electronics but i will need to get an electrical engineering degree first.
as for promoting the Parallax company I swear by there products i would not suggest anything else.
in the future after i fully understand the complete possibilities of the stamp line of products i will move up to the propstick for less expensive alternative (the wait is because as we all know it is more difficult to understand the programming language.
have fun at work ken i am sure i will talk to you again in the future in other topics.

Ps as for my current project i am working on building a 7 by 10 LED display it is almost done i have the matrix complete i just have to finish the interface circuit it would be done by now (except for programming) but i oriented the LEDs in the wrong polarity i am fixing the problem with 7 NPN transistors.

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
I`m not prejudice I hate everyone equally

Post Edited (Lab Rat) : 10/12/2008 1:35:04 PM GMT

Mike Green

There's a tremendous amount of information on Parallax's website. Under the Resources tab, you'll find Downloads. If you go to that page, select Stamps in Class Downloads. There are all sorts of tutorials full of sample code and circuit diagrams and exercises to try. The StampWorks Manual is full of the same sort of stuff. These were written to be part of specific kits with a printed manual, but can be used separately. Under the Resources tab, there's also the Nuts and Volts Columns. Go through the index. There are all sorts of projects, examples, and useful information, mostly on the Stamps, but also some on the SX and Propeller microcontrollers. All of this is free for downloading. There's another set of web pages describing some commercial uses of Stamps and other projects. The "Completed Projects" forum is full of examples, some with details, of what people have done with Stamps.

NR1X

The greatest "FREEBIE" of all is right here.. A wonderfull community of folks who share the common interest... The knowlege and experiance of those who answer questions and guide newcomers has a value far beyond any product that could ever be offered.. If only everyone recognized the resorce that this is....

SRLM

Good insight, kb1nrb. Anyway, lab rat: if you're part of a club, just apply for funding from the parent institution, or ask members to pay a fee to join. Depending on what you're doing, you can probably find a coorporate sponsorship, probably from a small local buisness (that still has the guts to help you out). As for your store, Parallax offers very good discounts on bulk buys (like the BS2 1/2 price for a thousand). If you have both club and store concurrently, you could even sponsor your own club with your store. Or make it a club store (like some IEEE clubs do).

Lab Rat

i also agree with kb1nrb has a good point. i know a business or two that would help me out. but i dont like to ask too much of them. i had wanted to start a clib but it never took off. i need to find people in my area i personally would not have to travel because the club would be at my house (this is where the grand collection of parts and tools is)i am in birdsboro pennsylvania just outside of Reading if anyone is interested in starting a club with me

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
I`m not prejudice I hate everyone equally

Chris Savage

I’m going to chime in just to mention that this thread really should have been posted in the Sandbox Forum. Technically it is off topic here.

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Chris Savage
Parallax Engineering

Ken Gracey

Lab Rat et. al.,

We want to help indviduals, organizations and clubs who will also help themselves. If there's one similarity between Parallax and the federal government (just for the sake of a comparison, okay?), both organizations donate when local money is also being raised. I think that the bicycle trails around our community were built when the government matched the local fundraising activities.

This isn't intended to put the receiver in a position of chicken-before-the-egg problem, where he can't get Parallax help unless he has other help first. It's just a general notion that we'll start offerring support when we see some progress being made by the receiver. Is there an active club with support from a teacher? Can the teacher write a letter and verify existence·and support of the club? Is there a simple mission for the club?·Trust me, we'll donate "free stuff" as soon as we see a match -- at least in the form of effort. If the·club isn't at a school, does it have a meeting place and·some kind of simple home page?

You made it to these forums so you're headed in the right direction.

The dealer questions are not right to be answered on these forums. Honestly, we're·selective with·how we assign dealerships.·For a small web-based shop in the USA to work with us you must have a real business plan·that's going to work for the long term. You spoke about a·new job and starting a dealership in the same message. These are two different things, and you can only do one of them successfully. Lots to think about! My suggestion is to allow this to be your hobby and take the electronic technnician job. Use the time to research your options while you are earning your first salary.

Ken Gracey
Parallax, Inc.

SRLM

I must admit, I don't have any first hand experience in dealing. In my post, I wasn't thinking of any sort of formal dealership. More, it was a "buy in bulk and resell at a higher unit price" type of thing. I don't know if Parallax has any rules forbiding such resale. Plus, might I add that it's very difficult to start a buisness? Not in the sense of creation: just file some paperwork for the government and you have a sole ownership. But you need sales tax support, other taxes (on your income tax for sole proprietorship), a store front of some kind (virtual for sure, physical would be good), packaging/shipping, supply chain support, customer support, payment methods, money to actually buy the inventory; anyway, your electric technician job should help with that last point.

*Disclaimer: I've never started a buisness, so that's all from an outside perspective.

Lab Rat

i have a handfull of businesses in my family my fathers side of the family owns F.R.R. Trucking and Leasing (tractor trailors)
my grandpa on my moms side has two Knabbs Auto & Cycle Repair / Answer Racing Karts
and my mom has Double P Leather
so starting a business should be childs play my family has experience.



AND FOR YOU CHRIS I WAS INTERESTED IN BEING A DEALER PRIMARILY SELLING THE STAMP.
the basic stamp is up high on my list up there with getting presents and money

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
I`m not prejudice I hate everyone equally

SRLM

I don't think starting/running a buisness is ever "child's play". Ask your Grandpa how much time he spends at the shop, and you'll realize that.

allanlane5

And a person starting a business probably shouldn't have the tag "I hate everyone equally". Just a thought.

Lab Rat

SRLM said...
I don't think starting/running a buisness is ever "child's play". Ask your Grandpa how much time he spends at the shop, and you'll realize that.

to tell the truth i know how much time it takes i work for him over the summer and trying to figure out his tax paperwork is royally confusing
it was the only thing i could think of that was original

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
I`m not prejudice I hate everyone equally