TI has wrecked their web site

[Dave]

I have no problems saving PDFs from TI using Firefox. Sure, I can't
right click and save, but I open the PDF and save from Acrobat. In
Firefox, I modified my all.js file (under greprefs) and commented out
the Acrobat line. This causes the PDF to be viewed in Acrobat instead
of your browser. TI's site seems like it only uses bits and pieces of
Flash. A 100% Flash site really sucks, especially for a technical
company. Any company that has a 100% Flash site doesn't get my
business because it's too painful to find information.

I have Firefox Options>Downloads>"View & Edit Actions" set to only
download PDF files. Is this what you mean by greprefs? I don't see a
problem with the TI site.

 

[Dave]

"http://www.linear.com/pc/downloadDocument.do?navId=H0,C1,C1155,C1001,C1150,P13693,D9659"

dosen't resolve to 2208f.pdf.

It does in Firefox.

 

[Dave]

...again!

It's all Flashed now. And just try right-clicking on a datasheet -
once you find it - to save the pdf file.

John

Go with the flow ... IE works as you would expect.. right or left click ...
save as .. all there ... nothing weird. With approx. 90% using IE and sites
written for IE why would you bother with anything else

 

[Pooh Bear]

Go with the flow ... IE works as you would expect.. right or left click ...
save as .. all there ... nothing weird. With approx. 90% using IE and sites
written for IE why would you bother with anything else

Because IE is a piece of crap perhaps ?

Graham

 

[Robert Baer]

Hello John,



I can still read it w/o flash. Right click doesn't work, you can only
open the pdf and then save. Just did that with the 430F2013 data sheet
which I am going need. But Acrobat has its own little shortcomings like
grinding on an empty floppy drive until you hit cancel. Rather stupid.

The TI site is now loaded with fluff and slower than ever. Not nearly as
poorly design as the Philips site and many other EU sites but they are
going in that direction. Sometimes I wonder what possesses them to do
that. I did write on occasion but since they don't seem to listen I quit
doing that.

Regards, Joerg

If you have some control over buying a few million dollars of semis
from them, tell them that you will take your business elsewhere if they
do not clean up their act.
And see if you can get others to do the same.
Then move the boycott to the next seller etc untill they all are decent.

 

[Dave]

It's at the top as usual.

Oh, right. I clicked on the top-most likely candidate, "technical
documents", which jumped me down near the bottom, where the datasheet
appears again.

Opera offers 'save target as ( ina114.pdf) '.

Strange. I guess they didn't test it with Firefox.

[...]

Firefox works fine; I'd been using Netscape since way before there was
an IE or Opera. I like the extensions, and they make a great t-shirt.

So is anyone with Firefox having a problem with this? Who is having a
problem?

 

[Tim Shoppa]

Even worse is the LT website.

Links are given as
http://www.linear.com/pc/downloadDocument.\
do?navId=H0,C1,C1155,C1001,C1150,P13693,D9659

(example given for the LTC2208)

Why not have plain links with some sensible name?

The trend among website designers in the past couple years is to
replace URL's that directly give paths on a filesystem into
dynamically-generated documents and links that access the documents
through database links.

There are some website administrivia tasks that are made easier by
this, but MOSTLY this is done because it raises website administration
into the "ivory white tower with the database analyst" level again,
ensuring their employment forever and a steady stream of $ to Oracle
Inc.

Also, having a dynamically created Javascript thingy open up the PDF
document lets you put a "frame" around the PDF with arrows to step you
forward/back through catalog pages etc. This is not a completely
useless feature, although it is frustrating at times.

(I would argue that a filesystem is a database, but all the Oracle
junkies will just hate me more.)

Yeah, my shorts are too tight and Oracle DBA's pissed me off big time
yesterday!

Tim.

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

The trend among website designers in the past couple years is to
replace URL's that directly give paths on a filesystem into
dynamically-generated documents and links that access the documents
through database links.

There are some website administrivia tasks that are made easier by
this, but MOSTLY this is done because it raises website administration
into the "ivory white tower with the database analyst" level again,
ensuring their employment forever and a steady stream of $ to Oracle
Inc.

Also, having a dynamically created Javascript thingy open up the PDF
document lets you put a "frame" around the PDF with arrows to step you
forward/back through catalog pages etc. This is not a completely
useless feature, although it is frustrating at times.

I like the way Mouser does their catalog, eg:
http://www.mouser.com/catalog/624/160.pdf

Each page is a PDF and there is a BACK and NEXT button at the top and
bottom of each page. Maybe others will copy that.

The worst are the idiot numbskulls who put a fixed size tiny frame
around a PDF, making most of your monitor area totally useless (unless
you are a wretch in some 3rd-world country trying to use a flickering
old 800x600 display to do engineering work).


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

 

[Ken Smith]

The worst are the idiot numbskulls who put a fixed size tiny frame
around a PDF, making most of your monitor area totally useless (unless
you are a wretch in some 3rd-world country trying to use a flickering
old 800x600 display to do engineering work).

Note for many Linux users:

If you set up more screen modes in SAX2 you can use CTRL-ALT plus and
minus to step through them. It can be very handy in this case as a quick
zoom in and out.

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

On Wed, 8 Feb 2006 15:21:09 +0000 (UTC), the renowned

Note for many Linux users:

If you set up more screen modes in SAX2 you can use CTRL-ALT plus and
minus to step through them. It can be very handy in this case as a quick
zoom in and out.

Big but with crappy resolution? What use is that?


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

 

[John Larkin]

Go with the flow ... IE works as you would expect.. right or left click ...
save as .. all there ... nothing weird. With approx. 90% using IE and sites
written for IE why would you bother with anything else

Because it's a virus magnet?

John

 

[Joerg]

Hello Robert,

If you have some control over buying a few million dollars of semis
from them, tell them that you will take your business elsewhere if they
do not clean up their act.
And see if you can get others to do the same.
Then move the boycott to the next seller etc untill they all are decent.

Been there with European companies, tried that, didn't work. Most large
companies do not listen. It wasn't just about their sub-par web sites
but also about terrible or no customer support. And I did not simply
shoot off an email but wrote polite letters to the CEOs.

Consequently my design-in rate for their stuff went from about 30% to
almost zero. That is millions in lost sales. Thing is, when one of those
companies runs into difficulties (which some did and others will) they
won't even know what hit them.

Classic executive management problem. In the same way that the big three
automakers failed to realize what they should have designed, now that it
is almost too late. I mean, every newspaper in town kind of told them.
Yet they did not listen.

Regards, Joerg

 

[Jim Thompson]

On Wed, 08 Feb 2006 18:59:53 GMT, Joerg

[snip]

Classic executive management problem. In the same way that the big three
automakers failed to realize what they should have designed, now that it
is almost too late. I mean, every newspaper in town kind of told them.
Yet they did not listen.

Regards, Joerg

For sure. I haven't owned an American auto-maker product for just shy
of 30 years.

Whenever possible I don't even rent that crap when I'm traveling.

...Jim Thompson

 

[[email protected]]

On Wed, 08 Feb 2006 18:59:53 GMT, Joerg

[snip]

Classic executive management problem. In the same way that the big three
automakers failed to realize what they should have designed, now that it
is almost too late. I mean, every newspaper in town kind of told them.
Yet they did not listen.

Regards, Joerg

For sure. I haven't owned an American auto-maker product for just shy
of 30 years.

Whenever possible I don't even rent that crap when I'm traveling.

...Jim Thompson

You don't even rent them? Man, you're missing out. While I'm a Toyota
and Nissan fan, it sure is fun to floor the gas when renting a Chevy at
Alamo. The best part is, I won't be stuck with the maintenance.

 

[Jim Thompson]

On Wed, 08 Feb 2006 18:59:53 GMT, Joerg

[snip]

Classic executive management problem. In the same way that the big three
automakers failed to realize what they should have designed, now that it
is almost too late. I mean, every newspaper in town kind of told them.
Yet they did not listen.

Regards, Joerg

For sure. I haven't owned an American auto-maker product for just shy
of 30 years.

Whenever possible I don't even rent that crap when I'm traveling.

...Jim Thompson

You don't even rent them? Man, you're missing out. While I'm a Toyota
and Nissan fan, it sure is fun to floor the gas when renting a Chevy at
Alamo. The best part is, I won't be stuck with the maintenance.

I'd be afraid I'd blow an engine and be stuck somewhere.

Plus flooring it gets you into trouble... the other day, while my Q45
was in for service, they gave me a G35 to drive.

Saw a clear section of highway, floored it, and got tagged for 79 in a
50 zone.

Cost me $120 and all day in a very boring "Defensive Driving School"
:-(

By the way, I've always been an Alamo customer, until recently. But
I've found that Enterprise treats you like a human, cuts lots of time
out of the process, meets you as you get off the airport-rental-car
bus, hands you a bottle of water, walks you to your car, one
signature, and you're gone... inexpensive too.

Plus Alamo has become fond of hiring people who have English as their
4th language :-(

...Jim Thompson

 

[[email protected]]

On Wed, 08 Feb 2006 18:59:53 GMT, Joerg

[snip]

Classic executive management problem. In the same way that the big three
automakers failed to realize what they should have designed, now that it
is almost too late. I mean, every newspaper in town kind of told them.
Yet they did not listen.

Regards, Joerg



For sure. I haven't owned an American auto-maker product for just shy
of 30 years.

Whenever possible I don't even rent that crap when I'm traveling.

...Jim Thompson

You don't even rent them? Man, you're missing out. While I'm a Toyota
and Nissan fan, it sure is fun to floor the gas when renting a Chevy at
Alamo. The best part is, I won't be stuck with the maintenance.

I'd be afraid I'd blow an engine and be stuck somewhere.

Plus flooring it gets you into trouble... the other day, while my Q45
was in for service, they gave me a G35 to drive.

Saw a clear section of highway, floored it, and got tagged for 79 in a
50 zone.

Cost me $120 and all day in a very boring "Defensive Driving School"
:-(

Er, I'd meant flooring it to the speed limit. That's what I do on the
rentals... "How Quickly Can I Accelerate From Zero to 45 Miles Per
Hour?" Ah, the G-forces... does makes me wonder, though, if the tires
are properly inflated and balanced.

By the way, I've always been an Alamo customer, until recently. But
I've found that Enterprise treats you like a human, cuts lots of time
out of the process, meets you as you get off the airport-rental-car
bus, hands you a bottle of water, walks you to your car, one
signature, and you're gone... inexpensive too.

Plus Alamo has become fond of hiring people who have English as their
4th language :-(

Coincidentally... at my work, they've recently (just this morning)
implemented a new policy where Enterprise is now the only allowed
rental company. Before, we were given a choice... I just liked Alamo.

 

[Jim Thompson]

Jim Thompson wrote:
On Wed, 08 Feb 2006 18:59:53 GMT, Joerg

[snip]

Classic executive management problem. In the same way that the big three
automakers failed to realize what they should have designed, now that it
is almost too late. I mean, every newspaper in town kind of told them.
Yet they did not listen.

Regards, Joerg



For sure. I haven't owned an American auto-maker product for just shy
of 30 years.

Whenever possible I don't even rent that crap when I'm traveling.

...Jim Thompson


You don't even rent them? Man, you're missing out. While I'm a Toyota
and Nissan fan, it sure is fun to floor the gas when renting a Chevy at
Alamo. The best part is, I won't be stuck with the maintenance.

I'd be afraid I'd blow an engine and be stuck somewhere.

Plus flooring it gets you into trouble... the other day, while my Q45
was in for service, they gave me a G35 to drive.

Saw a clear section of highway, floored it, and got tagged for 79 in a
50 zone.

Cost me $120 and all day in a very boring "Defensive Driving School"
:-(

Er, I'd meant flooring it to the speed limit. That's what I do on the
rentals... "How Quickly Can I Accelerate From Zero to 45 Miles Per
Hour?" Ah, the G-forces... does makes me wonder, though, if the tires
are properly inflated and balanced.

By the way, I've always been an Alamo customer, until recently. But
I've found that Enterprise treats you like a human, cuts lots of time
out of the process, meets you as you get off the airport-rental-car
bus, hands you a bottle of water, walks you to your car, one
signature, and you're gone... inexpensive too.

Plus Alamo has become fond of hiring people who have English as their
4th language :-(

Coincidentally... at my work, they've recently (just this morning)
implemented a new policy where Enterprise is now the only allowed
rental company. Before, we were given a choice... I just liked Alamo.

I stayed with Alamo for a very long time because I had a special
deal... my youngest son, the perpetual student with all the degrees,
worked at Alamo to support himself through school. He had reached
local Phoenix management status by the time he graduated.

...Jim Thompson

 

[Jim Thompson]

Jim Thompson wrote:
On Wed, 08 Feb 2006 18:59:53 GMT, Joerg

[snip]

Classic executive management problem. In the same way that the big three
automakers failed to realize what they should have designed, now that it
is almost too late. I mean, every newspaper in town kind of told them.
Yet they did not listen.

Regards, Joerg



For sure. I haven't owned an American auto-maker product for just shy
of 30 years.

Whenever possible I don't even rent that crap when I'm traveling.

...Jim Thompson


You don't even rent them? Man, you're missing out. While I'm a Toyota
and Nissan fan, it sure is fun to floor the gas when renting a Chevy at
Alamo. The best part is, I won't be stuck with the maintenance.

I'd be afraid I'd blow an engine and be stuck somewhere.

Plus flooring it gets you into trouble... the other day, while my Q45
was in for service, they gave me a G35 to drive.

Saw a clear section of highway, floored it, and got tagged for 79 in a
50 zone.

Cost me $120 and all day in a very boring "Defensive Driving School"
:-(

By the way, I've always been an Alamo customer, until recently. But
I've found that Enterprise treats you like a human, cuts lots of time
out of the process, meets you as you get off the airport-rental-car
bus, hands you a bottle of water, walks you to your car, one
signature, and you're gone... inexpensive too.

Plus Alamo has become fond of hiring people who have English as their
4th language :-(

...Jim Thompson

And not enough of them. They seem to have about 1/10 the frequency of
shuttle buses of some of their competitors at LAX. One tends to
remember that sort of thing.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

I haven't been to LAX in quite a while. I tend to use Ontario, John
Wayne or San Diego.

Most places are going to a central rental location with the airport
providing a BIG bus to get you there quickly... ala San Jose, and now
Phoenix with a huge facility.

...Jim Thompson

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

On Wed, 08 Feb 2006 18:59:53 GMT, Joerg

[snip]

Classic executive management problem. In the same way that the big three
automakers failed to realize what they should have designed, now that it
is almost too late. I mean, every newspaper in town kind of told them.
Yet they did not listen.

Regards, Joerg



For sure. I haven't owned an American auto-maker product for just shy
of 30 years.

Whenever possible I don't even rent that crap when I'm traveling.

...Jim Thompson

You don't even rent them? Man, you're missing out. While I'm a Toyota
and Nissan fan, it sure is fun to floor the gas when renting a Chevy at
Alamo. The best part is, I won't be stuck with the maintenance.

I'd be afraid I'd blow an engine and be stuck somewhere.

Plus flooring it gets you into trouble... the other day, while my Q45
was in for service, they gave me a G35 to drive.

Saw a clear section of highway, floored it, and got tagged for 79 in a
50 zone.

Cost me $120 and all day in a very boring "Defensive Driving School"
:-(

By the way, I've always been an Alamo customer, until recently. But
I've found that Enterprise treats you like a human, cuts lots of time
out of the process, meets you as you get off the airport-rental-car
bus, hands you a bottle of water, walks you to your car, one
signature, and you're gone... inexpensive too.

Plus Alamo has become fond of hiring people who have English as their
4th language :-(

...Jim Thompson

And not enough of them. They seem to have about 1/10 the frequency of
shuttle buses of some of their competitors at LAX. One tends to
remember that sort of thing.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

 

[Ian Stirling]

I like the way Mouser does their catalog, eg:
http://www.mouser.com/catalog/624/160.pdf

Each page is a PDF and there is a BACK and NEXT button at the top and
bottom of each page. Maybe others will copy that.

I hate it.
It's better than some, but PDF isn't a good solution.
It's a fixed page layout,

Fixed page layouts are insane.
Computer screens are not paper.
Say I've got a pagefull of transistors on a PDF, with a table of Hfe,
....
If I'm looking for specific properties, I've got no choice but to go
down the list cross-checking several things.
I can't just click on the price then vce columns to give me a list
sorted by voltage and then price.

I can't get it to show me parts only in stock, or increase the text size
if I'm using a portable laptop.

It's not possible to support a nice shopping cart type functionality,
....

Worst catalog.
http://www.cpc.co.uk/

Now, navigate to batteries.
This is the worst of all worlds - it's almost impossible to find things.

http://www.rswww.com/ is quite a bit better, as is
http://www.farnell.co.uk/