POLL For a Recent Roadtest You Were Considering, What Primary Factor Swayed You NOT to Apply for the Roadtest?

RE: POLL For a Recent Roadtest You Were Considering, What Primary Factor Swayed You NOT to Apply for the Roadtest?

colporteur — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 21:50:34 GMT

I started preparing an application for two upcoming RoadTests. I am hoping to make a submission but future time constraints are giving me cause to hold off making a submission.

RE: POLL For a Recent Roadtest You Were Considering, What Primary Factor Swayed You NOT to Apply for the Roadtest?

dougw — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 14:36:41 GMT

One other reason I don't apply is I've already road tested something in the same category. It seems unfair to go after another instrument if I can make do with the one I have.

RE: POLL For a Recent Roadtest You Were Considering, What Primary Factor Swayed You NOT to Apply for the Roadtest?

michaelkellett — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 08:19:22 GMT

I voted for having no real use for the product. Because I have no use for it I am not interested in devoting a lot of time to it and would be unlikely to to a good Roadtest.

This will happen a lot because the RoadTests cover a wide range of equipment and devices, so it's not in any way a fault of the programme.

For example, I haven't applied for the R & S power supply RoadTest which is currently ongoing - it's a nice enough power supply (although expensive) but the voltage and current range it covers just isn't appropriate to any current projects. So to do a decent test I would be using time for the purpose of the test itself which just isn't a cost effective thing to do.

RE: POLL For a Recent Roadtest You Were Considering, What Primary Factor Swayed You NOT to Apply for the Roadtest?

dougw — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 04:50:10 GMT

I like the idea of road testing something like a PolarFire FPGS, but the learning curve for such a complex product is probably too long for a road test schedule.

Xilinx (Vivado) is too expensive to justify buying for a road test, or for the number of FPGA projects I would use it for.

Going through a huge learning curve with a temporary software license for something you don't end up owning is not usually time well spent.

RE: POLL For a Recent Roadtest You Were Considering, What Primary Factor Swayed You NOT to Apply for the Roadtest?

robogary — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 01:49:34 GMT

Hi Randall - the reason listed "I'm involved in other activities on element14 (Design challenges, Project14, etc.) that are occupying my time." If the Road Test is cool enough I will make time somehow.

Primarily for me, right now, the Road Test boards being offered require an experienced embedded system or a specialist. I'm an ordinary Joe and would be in the deep water end of the pool if selected, no need to apply.

The corollary to that Road Test thought, if the Road Test involves an expensive piece of high end gear, the high end talent applies to the Road Test. I recognize the A players are applying, I shy away from applying to these, or may apply and put little effort into the application.

RE: POLL For a Recent Roadtest You Were Considering, What Primary Factor Swayed You NOT to Apply for the Roadtest?

fmilburn — Sun, 19 Jun 2022 23:41:13 GMT

It is a number of things. I'm interested in testing a power supply or SMU but assess my chances for selection on the nicer units from R&S that have been offered recently as low and they are also beyond my needs anyway so I've not applied. I've RoadTested a number of sensor packages and microcontrollers and don't feel I would learn much from assessing another one. There are others that could make better use of them. I'm waiting for the right thing to come along before making more applications and there are plenty of other things on element14 to attract me.

RE: POLL For a Recent Roadtest You Were Considering, What Primary Factor Swayed You NOT to Apply for the Roadtest?

genebren — Sun, 19 Jun 2022 21:56:49 GMT

It usually comes down to a combination of these choices, not just one. I mostly fall into the "My life is busy right now ...", "I'm involved in other activities on element14 ..." or "Due to my knowledge of the product, I would need a steep learning curve .." selections. There are other times that I feel that there are other people who could do a better job covering the testing of the roadtest item, or that the test would require test equipment that I do not have, or that other members deserve the opportunity to have a chance to get involved in this fun and rewarding activity.

I have to admit, that the roadtest program was one of the things that first attracted me to becoming an element14 member. Once I applied to a few roadtests and was rejected I decided that to be successful I would need to become more involved in other element14 activities in order to be a more credible applicant. Interestingly, the more I participated, the more I felt a camaraderie and sense of belonging to the community. The enjoyment of this belonging soon became a greater reward than the roadtest items and I focused on participating with and encouraging others in their engagement within the community.

RE: POLL For a Recent Roadtest You Were Considering, What Primary Factor Swayed You NOT to Apply for the Roadtest?

misaz — Sun, 19 Jun 2022 18:46:23 GMT

Lack of free time. It is not possible to join all RoadTests even they are very attractive.