Re: MSP-FET430UIF, IAR Kickstart: "Failed to initialize device"

Chris Hills wrote:
In article <4607c1f3$0$31515$8404b019@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, David Brown <david@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes
Chris Hills wrote:
In article <T5EJh.4724$JZ3.444@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Joerg <notthisjoergsch@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes
Hello Mats,

By the way I find it is great that an engineer from a manufacturer participates in a newsgroup like this. Way to go!
Far more do than you realise. There are AFAIK people from most of the major semis and tools companies on here. Most use non-company email addresses for all the usual reasons..


I greatly prefer it when they identify themselves properly, at least when writing about their company's products.

Since many are on here as a personal thing they can not do that. They are not representing their company.

Anything else is downright deceitful. I have no time or respect for someone who tells you how wonderful a product is without letting you know that they are involved in its sale or manufacture.

I don't think any do. None that I have seen anyway. Most just give the odd nudge to tech support questions. The only people I have seen blatantly pushing a product and work for that company have used a company email address.


That's fair enough - if you are not pushing their company's agenda, then there is no need to say what company you are working for. And it is also absolutely fine to give a brief hint towards technical support or the like. What I want to make sure we avoid, is salesmen claiming to be "just a satisfied customer".

I don't think there have been many cases of "moles" pushing their company's products without revealing their connection (other than the occasional "I've just found this great website" spam). But it has happened once or twice (there were some large threads a number of years ago after such as mole was "outed". I can't remember the company). I'd just like anyone in this group whose products or services are of interest to others here to realise that honest technical contributions are much appreciated, while dishonest marketing is not.

By all means add a "this is my personal opinion..." disclaimer and use a fake email address - that's fair enough.

I think that that is taken as read. Besides some are hiding their opinions from the company they work for as much as hiding the company they work for. :-)

FYI I work for my self.


I know that - I've been abbreviating and referring to "companies" and "employers" for convenience.

And there is no need to state your company for every post -

I use a real company email address.


You are an example of someone who often gives good technical information, and makes it clear where you are coming from. This is good advertising for you, but also makes it clear that when discussing some issues, you are going to have a specific bias. That's fine, it's honest and open - no one would expect you to extol the virtues of products that compete directly with the ones you sell. People like you, or Ulf from Atmel, are good to have around.

it is only necessary for posts relevant to your company's products (although for some people, *all* their posts discuss their products regardless of the topic...).

However those that do tend to be obvious about it.


Obvious is good (programmers should understand that!).

That said, I agree that having company presence in relevant newsgroups, mailing lists, and web forums is a good thing, for both the company and their customers.

I think so. The companies get grass roots feed back which helps their tech support. IT may also alert them to problems faster than other forms of feedback


I guess what I'm saying is that honest technical company presence is good, but astroturfing is bad. It has not been a problem here, and I hope it stays that way.

mvh.,

David
.

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