[NTLK] Why I don't buy from Knowledge Navigator (Example #3)

Jon Glass typed:
> My only remaining complaints are his so-called copying of PCBMan's
> SER-001 design. If he truly did copy it, then he owes him some
> compensation, and I would also like to see some form of reconciliation
> on this issue, ...
>
> -Jon Glass

I do not know if it is a copy, but I have seen a schematic on the web about
the IC needed for the interface from Serial to the internal port and this
document was sourced from neither party (PCBman or KN). It is conceivable
that the original inspired the copy, but the copy was crafted from original
research. I learned enough from google to build my own, but obviously
wanted one that was made professionally. Only KN can say for sure if his
was a reversed-engineered copy, or not. I would have gotten PCBMan's
version as it is the more well known one, but it was out of stock and I NEED
one BADLY. KN has a version and it is in stock.

IMHO, with so little new hardware being made for Newton these days, it is
nice to see some competition as it drives prices down and encourages a bit
more innovation (as PCBman pointed out he has dome revisions on his hardware
to improve it) - as long as that competition does not start a rift in the
Newton community. We are few enough in numbers that if we all choose sides
in a vendor rift, one vendor could go under and the whole community could
suffer loss of a valuable limited resource for Newton stuff.

If it is a copy, then that is between KN and PCBman to work out and let us
know later that all is right between them.

--Douglas Starnes

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