On Oct 21, 2010, at 9:50 PM, RussellMc wrote:

> It's not obvious that the two entities are more than cooperatively =20
> related

They are.  Both sides have always been pretty clear that Farnell runs =20
Element14.
(On the "about" page:  "element14 is another innovative offering from =20
Premier Farnell plc (LSE:pfl), FTSE 250, a leader in multi-channel =20
distribution and specialty services for electronic design engineers =20
throughout Europe, the Americas and Asia Pacific...")  They've done a =20
reasonable job of not being TOO commercial about the content.

As a "community", it's doing sort of OK.  Better (I think) than most =20
of the single-vendor forums but not as good as the better hobbyist =20
forums (including PICList.)  I think it is helping vendors to rethink =20
the role of hobbyists (and "very small" businesses) in establishing =20
such communities, but I'm not sure they like what they're finding out...

BillW

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