Lower priced scopes are more a favour to citizens of countries with ridiculous tax systems, where even "free" gets taxed. I doubt it's much of a difference to Keysight to give away for example a MSOX3014T (100MHz) or a MSOX3104T (1GHz), the hardware is basically the same. Yes, high bandwidth analog frontends are expensive, but not $10K more expensive (in BOM to the manufacturer). The list price is more of a tax problem to the winner, once this is properly handled by Keysight, there is no need for the low bandwidth "Hobbyists" scopes to be included in the contest. The cheating and the tax problem are the two main problems Keysight may want to work on for next year, imho.
Oh, and please, more mugs and baseball caps and ballpoint pens
The solution next time is simple. Like other engineering contests, you have specialist judges. I've been a judge in many contests, and whilst not perfect, it really the best way to weed out the unworthy entries.
I wanted to create a new thread to talk about Scope Month. What you liked or didn't like, what we should or shouldn't do again, what you want next year, etc.
This is a chance for you all to give me & the team direct feedback as we plan for 2017! Thanks for a great ride!
They should have called it scopeadaymadness.com
How about only people who have entered the draw for the giveaways being allowed to vote on the presentations? They have presumably already been screened to be real people who want an oscilloscope. And if any of them are just opportunists looking for any old prize they probably won't bother to vote.
b) A set of hobby level test gear, scope, bench PSU, function generator etc.
The solution next time is simple. Like other engineering contests, you have specialist judges. I've been a judge in many contests, and whilst not perfect, it really the best way to weed out the unworthy entries.
This. This is the only way to make sure that the recipient is "worthy".
Isn't it possible the Keysight will get name recognition among high school students because of this? And some may carry this in their memories into their jobs.
QuoteIsn't it possible the Keysight will get name recognition among high school students because of this? And some may carry this in their memories into their jobs.
High Schools get more satisfaction providing food and spectacle along with good test scores and college entrance statistics rather than building knowledge into the students.
Lets see how Dave's work
The main thing is he made a set of contestants before it started (min 10 posts). In other words they were qualified before entering.
I would like to see non-profits be the only ones qualified to enter. Like schools. My idea is for a trade school like ITT enter because they may be able to use a high cost scope and in turn they would put something together (like electronic labs) for poor schools. They could use students to assemble kits and write materials.
Seems there would be a lot of good will to encourage a lot of publicity for KS and the trade school.
In other words it would be nice if a high value item could benefit more people. I also would like to see the benefit go to school labs in third world countries.
The trade school that could put the best third world lab together would be the winner. Blog members could help. I guess it does not have to be a school. A person (unlikely) or a company could do this.
I do not like FB contests. This one turned out to be kinda sad
I hope this topic will encourage some good ideas.
As feedback, in the future the entry form could potentially have some sort of multiple email entry avoidance system - yes, even Facebook-tied entries (they are not as impopular as Dave believes - any engineer living abroad I know uses it in one way or another to be in touch with relatives)
As feedback, in the future the entry form could potentially have some sort of multiple email entry avoidance system - yes, even Facebook-tied entries (they are not as impopular as Dave believes - any engineer living abroad I know uses it in one way or another to be in touch with relatives)
No...Just NO! You are assuming things here sir. Facebook is a big NO to me, and about 50% of the people I know who are about my age. We still value our privacy, and we do not have Facebook accounts.
Well, I am not "assuming" anything, it is my observation around my professional peers. Yours is different, which is fine.
Well, I am not "assuming" anything, it is my observation around my professional peers. Yours is different, which is fine.
Check the Facebook poll in another thread? Less than 50% here use it.
- voting several times a day seems really.... odd. I've never seen another competition work this way, and I'm not sure I see what it achieves besides placing a burden on those who vote, to keep coming back to make sure their support carries as much weight as other peoples'.
- please, no Facebook. I have an account on the Keysight web site; why shouldn't I be able to use this to identify myself?
How about only people who have entered the draw for the giveaways being allowed to vote on the presentations? They have presumably already been screened to be real people who want an oscilloscope. And if any of them are just opportunists looking for any old prize they probably won't bother to vote.
Wont work, as the entrants are biased towards themselves. The tactical voting for a biased person would be to vote on the persons with the least to gain (i.e, the ones that already at the bottom), thereby making sure they wont be hurting their own chances in the process.
Another more permanent suggestion: When you "discontinue" products could you "donate" the soft license keys (or license key generator) for options for those products - to a place like EEVBlog? So struggling artists and hobbyist would be able to "spec up" old / used 2nd/3rd/4th hand gear without resorting to "hacking" - but bid/buy/beg/request licenses for good purpose. That would make the 2nd hand market more "valuable" for hobby users if they could buy for example Memory Option or Protocol Decoder for "out of date" products. That would at least make them consider older HaPikeylent products vs newer hack-able Chinese brands No point in buying an old high end HP/Agilent scope if serial decoder costs 10 times more than the scope does 2nd hand - if you can even FIND/buy a bloody license code for it.... I do know it might have some business implications - but if it is for "hobby/limited small business" use only - it would be good PR and might even be tax deductible... - So a bit like Microsoft run's their "SMB" Developer programs where you get access to all MS software for reduced pricing.