> OK I'll bite. I ask with the caveat that I'm only coming from the hobby
> perspective. SMD is obvious if you develop for a living. But for those of
> us where everything is a one-off, custom, only for us design, I'm trying 
> to
> figure out exactly how it fits. So it comes down to a single question:
>
> How do you prototype with SMD?

There are a few choices, none of them quite as simple as through hole 
breadboards (IMHO)

1. Find a decent PCB house with 24hr service, and *most* designs can be 
achieved with said PCB and a decent soldering iron. Most expensive way, best 
quality (needed for high speed, multi layer designs)

2. Etch your own protoype boards - more difficult (can be done down to 0.4mm 
pitch with minimal expense), but allows for quicker prototyping. I use this 
method for simple (at most 2 layer, usually 1) designs and ideas. When 
design is finalised, order from PCB house. Advantage here is a lot quicker 
than waiting >24hr for PCB house - can etch and solder a board in less than 
an hour. Disadvantages are messy chemicals and refining the etching 
technique for small pitch stuff. May take a while to learn.

3. Use the protoboards you link to, ReadyBoards (Just saw Olin's post) or 
combination of stuff like schmart boards (curiousinventor.com) and 
breadboard. Probably best for one off hobbyist stuff (IMHO)

With all the above, you will need to learn how to solder SMD stuff, not hard 
after a little practice. Loads of tutorials out there, on youtube etc. Also 
there is the toaster oven/hotplate method you mention, usually used for 
multiple boards - if you are only doing one at a time, then this is probably 
overkill.


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