Hi All
I buy a lot of the small pcb modules that are available directly from Chinese sites such as Banggood and Hobby King simply because they are so cheap. A few £ for something that would have cost hundreds a few years ago and I think -- "I'm sure I can do something with that!" Examples are a dust particle detector for £25 that really works and tells me how effective my air purifier is. Looking up the prices of the individual components I could not build the thing myself for less than twice the cost of it.
Many Arduino boards that are quite a bit cheaper than any from Amazon and such, amplifier modules with incredible specs, digital meter modules etc. etc. You have to peruse the websites waiting for the bargains and check carefully for the postal charges though.
I have to admit that many of the modules are sitting in my box waiting for me to play with at some later date, but that is a matter for me rather than the Chinese sites themselves!
So what ethics should I consider? How many of these modules are knock offs and breaking copyright? I know that my intelligent battery charger is certainly one, but it performs adequately for me. I didn't know it was a knock off until after I bought it.
Are the Chinese manufacturers trying to undermine western electronic manufacturing or are these modules simply left over from the all the modules that we find in so much of western manufactured goods?
Then there is the fact that China is an oppressive regime that is flexing its military muscle outside its boarders - but are they any worse than what we have in the rest of the world?
What do people here think about it all?
I buy a lot of the small pcb modules that are available directly from Chinese sites such as Banggood and Hobby King simply because they are so cheap. A few £ for something that would have cost hundreds a few years ago and I think -- "I'm sure I can do something with that!" Examples are a dust particle detector for £25 that really works and tells me how effective my air purifier is. Looking up the prices of the individual components I could not build the thing myself for less than twice the cost of it.
Many Arduino boards that are quite a bit cheaper than any from Amazon and such, amplifier modules with incredible specs, digital meter modules etc. etc. You have to peruse the websites waiting for the bargains and check carefully for the postal charges though.
I have to admit that many of the modules are sitting in my box waiting for me to play with at some later date, but that is a matter for me rather than the Chinese sites themselves!
So what ethics should I consider? How many of these modules are knock offs and breaking copyright? I know that my intelligent battery charger is certainly one, but it performs adequately for me. I didn't know it was a knock off until after I bought it.
Are the Chinese manufacturers trying to undermine western electronic manufacturing or are these modules simply left over from the all the modules that we find in so much of western manufactured goods?
Then there is the fact that China is an oppressive regime that is flexing its military muscle outside its boarders - but are they any worse than what we have in the rest of the world?
What do people here think about it all?