'Nutjob' serves half-baked Raspberry PI scam Some people will go to any lengths to get a Raspberry PI, except pay the $35 price tag. The Raspberry Pi Foundation has published an IM conversation it claims took place between 'Foundation founder Eben Upton and a “nutjob” trying to blag a PI for free. The chancer employed a carrot-and-stick technique, dangling the prospect …
The one point he raised that I agree with is that it is often policy for companies to hand out sample components. I have had several when I have been in the prototyping stages of projects. The difference here is that the 'Pi foundation is a not-for-profit organisation with a "No samples" policy, and rightly so. Very few of my projects have got off the ground, and a NFP can't afford to be handing out freebies.
All that said, the guy here was obviously a blagger. He should at least learn English if he want's to try this (especially claiming he is a journo, although his writing skills aren't that far off most journalists... No offense meant :-P ), and resorting to threats and accusations of racism are not the answer.
One thing which was pointed out on the Pi site, however, is that Eben's frustration was clearly showing by the end of the exchange. I don't blame him for becomming frustrated, and I would have been much worse, but his responses left something to be desired.
Personally I would have told him to **** off much sooner and ignored him, or presented him with a torrent of abuse, but that's why I'm not in a public-facing role...
Every place I have ever worked has had a policy of no free stuff.
Its simple. If you give stuff free to one person then you must give stuff free to everyone.
ANother trick people try to pull is. I want a sample now and I will buy huge number later, what can yopu do on the price...
My answer. You pay full amount for the sample. The bulk order can have a discount.
Its simple. If you give stuff free to one person then you must give stuff free to everyone.
Rubbish. It's entirely possible to set criteria for who gets free stuff and who doesn't. That's quite common and presumably that's what the Raspberry Pi Foundation applied when it handed out the free stuff it has.
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rather than his «frustration clearly showing», I found Eben's responses conciliatory to the threshold of self-effacement. Your last paragraph, however, is spot on and descriptive not merely of what your own reaction would have been, but also that of many others, including the undersigned....
As to the accusations of «anti-Semitism», they are par for the course when dealing with a certain class of people. When arguments fail....
Henri
We all know that whatever Sacha Baron-Cohen's next character is, it will be - hilariously - anti Semitic.
It's funny because Sacha is Jewish - DO YOU GET IT? He's pretending to be something which is against what he is, the subtlety is astounding. IT'S FUNNY.
FUNNY.
Not in the slightest tedious...
At our house we get cold calls of course, but we compete with each other to see how fast you can get the caller to tell you to fuck off (or equivalent).by stinging them along and unsubtle remarks.
Also, when I get a thick Indian accent come on and say "hello my name is Margaret" I usually reply with "that's funny mine's Deepak"
When I got cold called by a conservatory company, I immediately booked a sales appointment in the evening. When the salesman turned up he was not particulary impressed when I invited him up the stairs to my first floor flat
My reply was if they want to waste my time, I'll happily waste theirs.
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Only one of the suppliers has a lead time based on "Jam tomorrow, never today" (raspberry of course). The other supplier is quoting three weeks and shipping after three days (personal experience based on an order placed last week which shipped yesterday). No names given coz I don't want downvotes from their employees ;)
Tandy and Maplin are also advertising "in stock" and "late September" respectively, and CPC appear to be selling them OTC like hot pies
Oh, and peeps on eBay are still punting activation codes. For the souvenir hunters, methinks
Now I've got no problem with asking for something - sometimes it works and you bag a freebie.
But when a psychotic retard of a keyboard warrior gets involved it's another matter!
I bet he was the kid at school that ordered the Donor Card full display kiosk for his 'mates' because they were free!
Top marks to Upton though for outing this cocktard for the joke he is :)
that up to this point New York Jewish wannabe blackmailer journalists were made fun of about 4 times, yet no-one spotted that Mr. Clarkes use of [sic]* is somehow wrong. You don't correct the original when you use it, that's the whole point: To show up the loser who couldn't spell. And that it wasn't your own typo.
I think your automatic australian analcucumber autocorrect shot you in your own foot. ;-)
*Compare the correct spelling (albeit wrong use) of the "sic"-ed "lecture" to the original post on the RP site.
Apart from that, I agree.
Steve's a bum.
Interviewer Good evening. I have with me in the studio tonight one of the country's leading skin specialists - Raymond Luxury Yacht.
Raymond That's not my name.
Interviewer I'm sorry - Raymond Luxury Yach-t.
Raymond No, no, no - it's spelt Raymond Luxury Yach-t, but it's pronounced 'Throatwobbler Mangrove'.
Interviewer You're a very silly man and I'm not going to interview you.
Raymond Ah, anti-semitism!
Early on, Eben took a load of them to a school and the kids kept them. IIRC complete with keyboard, mouse and SD card. Maybe PSU and cables.
One kid put it on eBay, there was a bit of a fuss on the Pi group and Eben said that it was a gift and they were free to do what they liked with it.
That doesn't excuse this guy though.
Should have sent him here:
http://www.princetonai.com/bot/bot.jsp
Using Steve's conversation:
Steve: Hello Eben
Bot Eben: Salute again!
Steve:It’s Steve, B.A Applied Math Student
Do you have a minute?
Bot Eben: Even if I have a minute - it's my own business! And I forgot to ask you where you are from...
Steve: I wanted to present to my lecturers and administration your computer, I mean the RP.
Bot Eben: I hope you are not one of those computer "geeks"
Steve: And because I am going to visit my high school too I can show it there too
so if they will be interested then they may buy thousands of units
Bot Eben: What can I say? Good reason. Oh, what a fruitful conversation;-)
Steve: Can you please send me sample of model B so they can see it?
Bot Eben: Can't you do it yourself? What about me - I can do almost everything... But in extremely ugly way:-)
Steve: But what I do is a free advertisement for you
what will I get if they will buy thousands?
Eben Bot: No, I don't what will you get if they will buy thousands, unfortunately!
Steve: It doesn’t cost you 30 dollars, show me please where will you
find free advertisement with potential for thousand units to be sold?
Maybe, but who knows the future? I can't decide myself if I will find free advertisement with potential for thousand units to be sold or not.
io_uring is getting more capable, and PREEMPT_RT is going mainstream The Register 
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