How are reviewers selected?

Same here. I wrote mine not as quickly as possible but because i have played around with PIC18F's in my school but never did i occur to me that there would be a PIC24EP512GU810-I/PFPIC24EP512GU810-I/PF.

But i am pretty depressed that i didn't win the U1272 and that the PIC24EP512GU810-I/PFPIC24EP512GU810-I/PF MPLAB USB STARTER KIT requires a 100$+ I/O extension board .... MICROCHIP REALLY ?!

I was selected to review the PIC24EP512GU810-I/PFPIC24EP512GU810-I/PF Starter Kit from Microchip...

Still not finished I am afraid, Nearly finished, however, I chose to replicate a circuit I had already designed for the PIC24F series. It is very complicated and has taken a lot longer than I anticipated.

Problems waiting for parts, the kit arrived later than expected, just a week before the review should have been finished. Having more time to complete the review would have helped...or perhaps I should have been less adventurous...NO...not in my nature.

I do not take the attitude that it is FREE stuff, my time is not FREE, and neither is my expertise.

I have applied for Road Tests before and not been selected, I decided that my application was not good enough.

I have learned a valuable lesson, do not apply unless I have the time and skills applicable to the product being road tested, and make sure I put in a well though out application.

I do know that one person dropped out because they were not selected, almost threatening as if his presence was the sole basis for the existence of element14.

Well, this is something we can't avoid, unfortunately. Such users are and will be in every on-line community - and especially if anything *free* is involved.

Sometimes people ask this kind of a question just to get a better incite on how the process works.

Yes they do. Relax, don't take it personal. I don't state that you specifically was asking because ....

How did the Arduino Uno become a focal point here?

I mentioned the Arduino "as example" in one sentence - That hardly constitutes as the "focal point". Maybe you should re-read the post?

It may seem to you someone asks this question after every Road Test but I can assure you it doesn't come up that often.

Yes it does seem that way and I am sure it is a huge exaggeration. I know this has come up at least once before and I do know that one person dropped out because they were not selected, almost threatening as if his presence was the sole basis for the existence of element14.

Sorry if you took it personal.

It's really good you have asked this, because (in contrary to what R_Phoenix said) we got an anwser from the source, which helps us actually making *good* applications (thanks Sagar!). Of course, not everybody will read this, but people really interested in making the reviews will find this post - and will benefit from reading it.

So - thanks to you, and thanks to Sagar.

R_Phoenix wrote:

 

In my life long experience I have found that the main reason people ask this type of question on things that are being given away is because of the simple fact that they were not selected. Therefore by some unknown reason they feel cheated and in some cases angry. ( I've seen grown men take candy from kids at parades.)

 

Personally, I don't care how they are selected - the product is free, it's free to join, it's free to sign up for a road test. It might be a bit different if I had to pay a fee to enroll or even to join the web sight, but it's FREE. element14 can choose them however they dame well please.

 

However, I do agree that anyone selected that does not submit at least a decent review should be overlooked on future road test. I also agree that corporations that are giving the item away should have the right to hand pick those they feel will give the best review and benefit most from the product. It wouldn't make much sense to have a total beginner win a road test for a Spectrum Analyser. In this last case, an Arduino is perfect for the total beginner and I feel that more experienced people here should not have applied.

 

Just to note, it seems someone brings this up after every roadtest.

Sometimes people ask this kind of a question just to get a better incite on how the process works.

How did the Arduino Uno become a focal point here? The fact that this was posted soon after the Uno Road Test closed out has no bearing on the questions asked here. No matter when this was posted it would have came after some Road Test had ended. Please don't try to make a person look bad for being inquisitive.

It may seem to you someone asks this question after every Road Test but I can assure you it doesn't come up that often. I did a good search through the Road Test Discussions to make sure this kind of topic hadn't come up in at least the past year. I would have much rather found the answer in an old discussion then start a new duplicate one.

Hi Mookiebud,

I think the answer for the many "Review Pending" statuses is that was an E14 CMS error. The only credible winner list is the one posted below the test.

It happened to me too: on the Freescale MC9S08LL I'm still with that "Review Pending" status but when I asked I got a reply that I was not on the winner list. It's very easy to get some errors on a huge and growing CMS with many functions added gradually.

thanks for the reply Sagar.  that really clears things up for us.  i agree with other people that if your selected and dont send in a review you should not have the option to test again because the odds of you repeating are high.

i also didnt post my coment earlier because im mad i didnt get selected there just isnt anything posted anywhere that really explains how the selection proccess works.  i would almost have element14 post a quick doc somewhere on the roadtest site that explains this process so people cant get mad because they are informed.

I'll have to agree with you R_Phonenix and it's the only reason I applied for the Arduino, since I am a beginner.  I do like the response from Sagar and now I have a better understanding of what to do and expect. 

I have been reading reviews and impressed with some of the details people give and then read some, where all they talk about is the unboxing,

I'll continue reading, learning new products, and maybe some day I'll be smart enough to review that Flux Capacitor.

In my life long experience I have found that the main reason people ask this type of question on things that are being given away is because of the simple fact that they were not selected. Therefore by some unknown reason they feel cheated and in some cases angry. ( I've seen grown men take candy from kids at parades.)

Personally, I don't care how they are selected - the product is free, it's free to join, it's free to sign up for a road test. It might be a bit different if I had to pay a fee to enroll or even to join the web sight, but it's FREE. element14 can choose them however they dame well please.

However, I do agree that anyone selected that does not submit at least a decent review should be overlooked on future road test. I also agree that corporations that are giving the item away should have the right to hand pick those they feel will give the best review and benefit most from the product. It wouldn't make much sense to have a total beginner win a road test for a Spectrum Analyser. In this last case, an Arduino is perfect for the total beginner and I feel that more experienced people here should not have applied.

Just to note, it seems someone brings this up after every roadtest.