Yes, it's about the paperwork.  Because if it cost $30 to get a sample it
would have the same effect as if it cost $7.50.  I did have to do a P.O. to
get a  PIC32 starter kit, and in deciding which one to get, I just got both,
because I could easily spend $50 just soliciting opinions.

> You can't evaluate a processor chip by looking at it.

The EE's build the boards, I write the firmware, and I won't see any real
hardware for another month or two.  If I can cobble something together right
now, I have a jump on the project.  I've also sampled pin-compatible upgrade
versions of some PICs and had the technicians swap the parts out on a
production board.  That way I can state with confidence that changing over
will work.

I don't think the concept of "getting something to play with" plays all that
well, but then again, I don't have to explain what I'm doing :)  I ordered a
DIP version of a USB PIC and proceeded to breadboard up something to try
out.  Sure enough the USB applications started being called for in the real
products.  It's not the first time this sort of thing has happened.
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