In search of the online community
06 July 2010
Magazines (whether electronic or print), exhibitions, trade associations and many companies have tried it, but no one has yet created a true technical online community.
That is not to say that all have failed. I am hugely grateful for the numerous responses I get to these columns for example and it is our intention to open these up in a discussion forum. But I do pretend, or intend, to ever make it the sole platform for communication amongst electronics engineers. Many others attain a certain level of success without ever making the big breakthrough – the technical equivalent of Facebook for engineers.
Nor will it ever happen. We are all just too busy. However, I think the door is still open for sites to make some inroads in this department – hopefully EPD being one of them. But another contender has been launched this week by RS Components. Its DesignSpark, which I describe below, has the intention of providing knowledge rather than products (its www.electrocomponents.com site still does that) and in as much is superficially non-commercial. I think this is an important factor in creating the right environment for an online community.
It is also a statement from RS that it believes it can distinguish itself from its competitors by virtue of its technical support, although I know all of its co-distributors would have some argument to support their own credentials in this department. When many customers are led by price, availability and delivery then any such distinctions are important.
DesignSpark is an online gateway that gives engineers trusted and reliable information and resources, bringing together design information, user generated reviews and new free-of-charge tools to speed up the design process. Developed in partnership with FreshNetworks, the social media development company, the site is being launched initially in English, German Chinese and Japanese, with further language versions to follow throughout 2010.
Glenn Jarrett, Head of Electronics Marketing at RS Components commented: “DesignSpark cuts through the mass of inconsistently presented design information on the Internet, providing engineers with a reliable gateway to information, reviews and resources they can trust at every stage in the design process. DesignSpark is more than just a website, it provides the electronic engineering community with an environment where they can not only find design tips and reviews that help inform the start of new designs, but also connect with partners, exchange ideas and contribute to a variety of valuable information sources available from across the internet which are relevant for the whole design cycle. Our aim is to speed engineers access to knowledge, to speed their designs and so speed their time-to-market,” said Jarrett and, when asked where the revenue for this venture was coming from, continued: “If we can provide them with the tools to do this they will like RS and come back to us for their components.”
A major feature of DesignSpark is a library of independent reviews for development kits and evaluation platforms, provided by engineers, for engineers. This feature will allow users to post comments and star ratings for each kit. Initially, it will cover a range of up to 1100 microcontroller, microprocessor, analogue and FPGA development kits, with new kits being regularly added.
DesignSpark also gives users’ access to a dedicated Design Centre, containing technology tips and hints posted by DesignSpark members. The centre will keep engineers up-to-date with the latest design trends, as well as containing links to the range of RS website tools, making component selection and integration into design software packages fast and simple.
The partner portal has been specifically created in order to allow DesignSpark members to connect with companies and individuals who can help provide information, support or resources that will enable faster design development. Featured partners already include a mix of component manufacturers, design consultants and contract electronics manufacturers, with new partners being added on a daily basis.
DesignSpark also offers free-of charge access for members to a range of design tools, hosted in the Spark Store. Included in the store is the first of a range of new tools launched by RS, DesignSpark PCB; a fully featured PCB design tool.
As part of an ongoing commitment to deliver an authoritative design environment for its customers, RS launched three new platforms in May this year. Component Chooser - the world’s largest and most extensive parametric search engine of electronic components, the introduction of 20,000 downloadable 3D CAD models onto its website and a strengthened Embedded Development Platform (EDP) product line which enables rapid prototyping and proof-of-concept through a new partnership with ARM to target microprocessors based on the mbed virtual development environment.
The new platforms, DesignSpark and DesignSpark PCB, are available to any engineer at www.designspark.com. Users will be invited to register in order to join DesignSpark and have access to thousands of development kit reviews, design centre information and free applications in the Spark Store, as well as connecting with other engineers and online resources supporting new designs.
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