> > Maybe
> > because for a hobbyist (large part of my customers) the 'clumsyness'
> > of a DIP40 does not matter much,
> 
> That's surprising to me.  When I'm building a one-off I'm 
> working a lot as a
> hobbyist.  I just don't like the physically big parts.

But you are much more experienced than a hobbyist, who might not like
'small' parts (but that contradicts the popularity of 18 pin parts). 

Another possible reason for the popularity of 18 pins parts: the 16c84
was an 18-pin part....

> > and the price difference between 28
> > and 40 pin parts is small (so why pay almost the same for 
> less pins?).
> 
> The price of a PIC for one-offs doesn't matter much anyway.

For you. Some hobbyists have to justify every $ spent on their hobby to
their spouse (but probably not every hour spent).

I don't ask my customers for their age, but I think quite a lot are
sub-20 and even sub-18. Money constraints for those groups are realy
different than for us!

> The same argument goes for why not pay a little extra for a 28 pin 
> part versus a 18 pin part.

IIRC the price jump for 18 to 28 is larger than 28 to 40.

> How often does that extra little space saving 
> matter on a hand built design anyway?

I don't think space is on the average hobbyist's mind.

Wouter van Ooijen

-- -------------------------------------------
Van Ooijen Technische Informatica: www.voti.nl
consultancy, development, PICmicro products
docent Hogeschool van Utrecht: www.voti.nl/hvu
 

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