Dave's "jellybean"?

[lpc32]

Dave's usage of the word "jellybean" suggests to me it's to be interpreted as plain/basic/standard. Is that really the case? What's the origin of the expression? I can't find any references to this usage.

[mariush]

Jellybeans are in some countries very cheap and all over, available anywhere you look.

Generic, classic, common, cheap and simple, made by several manufacturers etc etc

what would be jellybean ... 7805 (linear regulator made by everyone) , mc34063 , lm358, 10k and 100k resistors, shift registers

[Phaedrus]

Jellybean, to me, implies one of those classic, common parts with a million uses, that are usually cheap and plentiful with a half dozen suppliers at least. Also it seems to imply an actual IC, passives like resistors and caps don't seem to count. Things like 555, 7805, 74HC logic, LM393, etc. I could also see it applying to some of the more popular single source chips, like maybe some of the more popular SMPS controller chips from TI or Linear.

[sleemanj]

Dave's usage of the word "jellybean" suggests to me it's to be interpreted as plain/basic/standard. Is that really the case? What's the origin of the expression? I can't find any references to this usage.

It's when you don't really care about the exact specs, they are useful in many situations, and so you just keep a bunch around.

"I need a transistor that can handle about 100mA"
stick hand in jellybean jar and pull out... a 2n2222, or a BC548, or ... you don't care about the exact model, it's enough that you know it can do around 100mA

"I need a device to make a square wave"
stick hand in jellybean jar and pull out... a 555, you don't care about the variant, it's enough that it works off 5v and can output a logic high/low

A jellybean itself, is about as plain, basic and standard as you can get in the world of confectionery, it's not uncommon to have jars of jellybeans on a counter,  "I need some sweets", stick hand in jellybean jar and pull out.... a handful of jellybeans, you don't care about the colour or flavour (well, I prefer the black ones, but if they are all gone...).

[lpc32]

But is it an EEVblog-exclusive expression or something more widespread (yet endemic I'd assume)?

And I'm not sure all would agree that jellybeans of the edible kind are interchangeable, and any random type will do.

[EEVblog]

But is it an EEVblog-exclusive expression or something more widespread (yet endemic I'd assume)?

No, it's not my expression, it's very common in the industry.
Heck, it's even on Wikipedia!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jelly_bean

In the semiconductor industry, a "jelly bean" component is one which is widely available, used generically in many applications, and has no very unusual characteristics—as though it might be grabbed out of a jar in handfuls when needed, like jelly beans. For example, the 741 might be considered a jelly bean operational amplifier.

[vk6zgo]

An Electronics supplier in Perth,back in the 1970s actually had a jellybean jar on the counter filled with unmarked NPN small signal transistors.

They were extremely cheap & would replace BC108s,2n2222s & in like in many circuits.
We called them "BC10--?s"

One of my workmates even used them as phototransistors by carefully cutting off the top of the metal package.

[Mark Hennessy]

I first saw the expression "jellybean" in The Art of Electronics (2nd edition) - that would have been 1992 at a guess...

[electronics man]

i just see the word jelly been as meaning, not very special specs , not super acurate, high power or high frequance ect, some jelly been components are lm324, lm317, 555 timer, 78xx ect they are the sort of components that you should keep a lot of, like i have a big tube of lm324 opamps and a tray of lm317s

[tsmith35]

So "jelly bean" could be a reference to a commoditized component?

[Richard Crowley]

I see it as more than "commoditized".  At least IMHO, it has implications of widely used.  There are lots of components that are "commoditized" but I wouldn't consider them "jelly-bean" components.

[Phaedrus]

If anything, commoditization would seem to be a side-effect of becoming a Jellybean; or a contributing factor. Or something.

[poorchava]

let's see: 1n400x, 2n2222, bcxxx, bat54, bat85, 555 timer, lm339, lm324, op07, lm358, ua741, 78xx and 79xx, 1117 regulators, 100n capacitors, all ordinary caps and resistors, 5mm leds, 0.1" headers, 1n4148, 2n3055, tip122, tip126, bd139, bzx84cxxx zeners, sma/smb/smcj TVS, integrated rectifier bridges, mc34063, tl431, lm2904, lm2903, bss123, bss84, bs170,

[lpc32]

Oh, indeed it is right there on Wikipedia. I'm pretty sure I looked there. Probably missed it expecting a "disambiguation" link on the top. But, tsk tsk, no references there.

Oddly, no mention on Merriam-Webster, Cambridge, Oxford, Urban Dictionary, Wiktionary. Should probably send a question to phrases.co.uk or worldwidewords.org.

[EEVblog]

I first saw the expression "jellybean" in The Art of Electronics (2nd edition) - that would have been 1992 at a guess...

I can recall it back in the early 80's in the electronics magazines, and I'd be surprised if it's not from at lest the 70's.

[BravoV]

TUN ... TUP ... do these still in used these days ? 

[David Hess]

i just see the word jelly been as meaning, not very special specs , not super acurate, high power or high frequance ect, some jelly been components are lm324, lm317, 555 timer, 78xx ect they are the sort of components that you should keep a lot of, like i have a big tube of lm324 opamps and a tray of lm317s

I would include the OP-07 now as well since it is widely second sourced and inexpensive.

I am still working my way through a couple tubes of LM337 regulators that I picked up at some point.  They are not quite as convenient as LM317s but if you have a floating voltage source, they will do.

[vk6zgo]

TUN ... TUP ... do these still in used these days ? 

Elektor,if I remember correctly?