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I disagree with you because it is confusing times for such a niche. This is a hobbyist product in a time where Radio Shack sells cell phones now. Due to globa

I disagree with you because it is confusing times for such a niche. This is a hobbyist product in a time where Radio Shack sells cell phones now. Due to globalization and recent hacker upswing, it was a great success, NOT something to be easily predicted in a strategy session. Go back to your meeting, :).

ChuckMcM 14y ago
FWIW the exact same reasoning was used with the Personal Computer which was "Gee its not like non-engineers really need a computer so there really isn't much of a market for one." Seriously, that is what folks believed. And the folks making machines out of Z80's, 8080's, and 6800's really cleaned up for a while. If you've noticed, we're making fewer and fewer general purpose computers (the trendy call it the 'post pc era') and once again the learning curve is steep and intimidating. Look how many Arduinos sold for $35, now you offer the same thing but it runs Linux at the same price point? So at the very least they should have guesstimated that they could sell as many there were Arduino's sold. That would have gotten them to > 1M.
- Tyrant505 14y ago
  Thank you for the comment, as I did not live during the hayday of then(born in 1981 and had an electrician as a father). But regardless of what you are saying my point is still clear: Globalization and newborn tech and hacker mentality are souring; Not as much as when they started!
  - HeyLaughingBoy 14y ago
    Not to be "that guy," but you mean "soaring." "Souring" is the exact opposite of what you're trying to say :-)
    - Tyrant505 14y ago
      Hah, yes, sorry. Funny typo :)
edderly 14y ago
I think I'd disagree back :). It is not a new or recent issue that the cost of development for mobile was notoriously expensive on hardware, there was a residual hope that emulators would suffice. Simultaneously there has been constant demand for hobbyists or industry to use commodity capable hardware. I stated "The success of the Pi is really a textbook example of why you want good marketing, product management and strategic pricing plus a bit of timing/luck." as a round about way that corporations should sometimes make bold decisions which may not result in a direct profit. Roughly knowing the cost of TI's SoC I would assert that TI would have been better off aiming their SoC/board combo at the right price point and perhaps with a detached org to support it.
- Tyrant505 14y ago
  Of course this is all interesting. But times are very different! Radio Shack hobbyists were at the forefront. There were not SO many of them.. but because the latest chips and other doohickies were fairly expensive in today's world, allowed Radio Shack to prosper. We are both on HN, so we are a bit different than normal population... Globalization changed that, I'm in NYC, you?

ChuckMcM 14y ago

FWIW the exact same reasoning was used with the Personal Computer which was "Gee its not like non-engineers really need a computer so there really isn't much of a market for one." Seriously, that is what folks believed. And the folks making machines out of Z80's, 8080's, and 6800's really cleaned up for a while. If you've noticed, we're making fewer and fewer general purpose computers (the trendy call it the 'post pc era') and once again the learning curve is steep and intimidating. Look how many Arduinos sold for $35, now you offer the same thing but it runs Linux at the same price point? So at the very least they should have guesstimated that they could sell as many there were Arduino's sold. That would have gotten them to > 1M.

Tyrant505 14y ago
Thank you for the comment, as I did not live during the hayday of then(born in 1981 and had an electrician as a father). But regardless of what you are saying my point is still clear: Globalization and newborn tech and hacker mentality are souring; Not as much as when they started!
- HeyLaughingBoy 14y ago
  Not to be "that guy," but you mean "soaring." "Souring" is the exact opposite of what you're trying to say :-)
  - Tyrant505 14y ago
    Hah, yes, sorry. Funny typo :)

edderly 14y ago

I think I'd disagree back :). It is not a new or recent issue that the cost of development for mobile was notoriously expensive on hardware, there was a residual hope that emulators would suffice. Simultaneously there has been constant demand for hobbyists or industry to use commodity capable hardware. I stated "The success of the Pi is really a textbook example of why you want good marketing, product management and strategic pricing plus a bit of timing/luck." as a round about way that corporations should sometimes make bold decisions which may not result in a direct profit. Roughly knowing the cost of TI's SoC I would assert that TI would have been better off aiming their SoC/board combo at the right price point and perhaps with a detached org to support it.

Tyrant505 14y ago
Of course this is all interesting. But times are very different! Radio Shack hobbyists were at the forefront. There were not SO many of them.. but because the latest chips and other doohickies were fairly expensive in today's world, allowed Radio Shack to prosper. We are both on HN, so we are a bit different than normal population... Globalization changed that, I'm in NYC, you?