pic microcontroller discussion list <> wrote on Thursday, June 12, 2003
4:26 PM:

> Also, as it's my first PCB and I'm a little bit strange at the best of
> times...I was thinking about maybe putting my unique mark on the PCB
> in someway. Maybe just something funny written on it like "Proudly
> made in Canada, eh?". Or a shout poem. Or a picture in the
> silkscreen/soldermask
> (Sun Microsystems used to put pictures on their early system PCBs!).
> Anyone want to talk me out of that? :-)

In a previous place of work, all PCBs had a variety of messages, in the
sure knowledge that at least one of our competitors would see them when
prodding around to see how we did things.  Some were visible, some in
hidden silkscreen (a large inductor with "The Force is strong with this
one" underneath it, a fine pitch surface mount with "nice desoldering, well
done!" underneath), and some on multiple copper layers, so you could only
see the whole message when the board was held between your eye and a bright
light.

Hope that gives you some more ideas!  And I would disagree that it appears
unprofessional, it's just an engineers version of art.  There is a website
somewhere with assorted pictures which appear on IC silicon, IIRC there is
even a software tool to add GIFs to your silicon layout!  Some of them were
company logos etc, but there was definitely a Mickey Mouse or similar in at
least one of the pictures.

Regards,

Nigel
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