> I'm still willing to support anyone with hardware if they 
> want to develop publicly available software, but I'm not just 
> going to give out the hardware and hope to get something in 
> return.  I don't have a good idea however how to make the 
> hardware available up front but still have a guarantee I'll 
> get something back.

I sell the Linistepper kits with a "rebate" offer: 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7605930593

If you purchase a kit or set of kits from this auction, build then hook up
to your device (mill, lathe, telescope, etc..) and send me a picture of it
(clearly showing the Linistepper) I will refund $10 of your purchase price.
I will refund an additional $10 for a picture of any item showing the
difference between linear microstepping and any of the standard stepping
modes. The second refund is only available after the first has been
qualified. It can be a picture of two items made by your device or, if you
are using the linistepper to control a telescope mount, it might show the
difference in clarity between two identical long exposure photos of the
stars. Finally, a third $10 refund, available after the first two have been
qualified, is offered for temperature readings of the motor and controller
after 1 hour of operation in full step mode and again after an hour in
linear microstepping mode.

What I find interesting is that I've been offering that for many moons and
no one has ever asked for any money back. But I have had several people
specifically indicate that they purchased the kits because of that offer.

When I realized this, I started thinking about the rebate offers that I have
failed to "cash in" over the years and now I am much less likely to be
swayed by them in my purchasing decisions.

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