William Chops Westfield wrote:

> Well, for the hobbyist, it could mean BUYING $2 OTPs instead of $15
> windowed versions.  We like that sort of thing.  It would also mean
> that you could reuse "found" parts...

  Yes, it happens I am (at present!) a "hobbyist" class user of these
things, and I "find" a lot of parts, thus my slant.  Similarly, I have
no particular need to re-use syringes as I have boxes of them lying
about (well, neatly stored), while others (particularly for "hobby" uses
- have to be Politically Correct here too!) might do so.

  Please do remember too that when you quote food costs and wages, they
numerically equate quite similarly (from the US) to here, as do
(curiously) assembled computers, but by the time we get components such
as PICs imported, the figure is double.

> If it were possible to erase OTP parts, it might still be impossible
> at the "amateur" level, but you can bet your dollars there would be a
> company providing the service for a fee.  (Maybe.  It's also possible
> that "radiation" regulations would prevent this from ever being
> ecconomically feasible.)

  It's also possible that handling fees and lack of warranty (for quite
obvious reasons) would be prohibitive in the commercial sense, just as
a *lot* of otherwise worthy recycling is.

  Cheers,
        Paul B.