Spehro Pefhany wrote in
:

I always try to use the most bog-standard, inexpensive, available and
reliable parts. There's more than enough excitement to be had in the
parts that really ought to be oddball.


That's true, though I sometimes analogise with the old batteries, SP2 and
HP2, in the UK, they were the safe middle ground of zinc carbon types, with
all kinds of esoterica lingering from portable valve radios and specialised
photoflash types. SP was standard power, HP, high power. SP was cheaper. Both
endured (even now, I think) because people realised it was often better to
pay more for HP as you usually got better bang per buck that way. I sometimes
think the electronics industry is like buyers who all go for SP because it's
cheaper, and still middle ground, and who come to mourn the demise of HP and
likely only have themselves to blame.

I think just edging a tier upward in performance is worth the cost. For one
thing it is a good way to beat the disability culture that besets
manufacturing now, and if unchecked, will result in government pressures to
reduce inefficiency and waste. I suspect most makers would rather jump than
be pushed, especially if jumping early gives them something to help advertise
the product's reliability.

Although they cost a bit more, it might be
best to go for them anyway, that way suppliers will take care of
availability. The best way to make unobtainium is the slow fission of
amnesium...

I'm not eager to take dusty stock off the hands of distributors under
most conditions.


Nor me, but by then it's usually too late anyway. Dusty amnesium is about as
appetising as sweaty gelignite.