Sad News: Passing of Peter Crowcroft DIY Electronics (kitsrus.com)

[Don McKenzie]

15-Jun-2005
We have just received sad news from DIY Electronics Hong Kong regarding the
passing of Peter Crowcroft in Melbourne Australia.

Peter was the owner of DIY Electronics (http://www.kitsrus.com/) and resided in
Asia for around 25 years.

Born in Tasmania Australia, he wrote many recent electronic kit articles for
magazines like Silicon Chip, and in conjunction with his good friend Frank
Crivelly (http://www.ozitronics.com/) designed many new kits and sold them world
wide. Frank also designed many of the kits that Peter was selling.

Details from Hong Kong are given at:
http://www.dontronics.com/cat_hard_diy.html

Don...


--
Don McKenzie
E-Mail Contact Page: http://www.e-dotcom.com/ecp.php?un=Dontronics

RS-232 to VGA. Many resolutions http://www.dontronics.com/micro-vga.html
USB to RS232 Converter that works http://www.dontronics.com/usb_232.html

 

[budgie]

15-Jun-2005
We have just received sad news from DIY Electronics Hong Kong regarding the
passing of Peter Crowcroft in Melbourne Australia.

While I had only limited contact with Peter, I found him a friendly helpful and
very forthright person. He sourced some "special" PCB work for me from one of
his PRC contacts, which helped me over an awkward situation.

A loss that many will feel.

 

[Bob Parker]

Thanks for passing on this news, Don. I never dealt with Peter, but
I got the impression he was a decent bloke who sold good gear. I hope
someone will let Leo Simpson know, so something suitable can go into
SC.

Bob

 

[Don McKenzie]

Thanks for passing on this news, Don. I never dealt with Peter, but
I got the impression he was a decent bloke who sold good gear. I hope
someone will let Leo Simpson know, so something suitable can go into
SC.

Thanks, yes Leo is aware.

Don...


--
Don McKenzie
E-Mail Contact Page: http://www.e-dotcom.com/ecp.php?un=Dontronics

RS-232 to VGA. Many resolutions http://www.dontronics.com/micro-vga.html
USB to RS232 Converter that works http://www.dontronics.com/usb_232.html

 

[Mark Harriss]

15-Jun-2005
We have just received sad news from DIY Electronics Hong Kong regarding
the passing of Peter Crowcroft in Melbourne Australia.

Peter was the owner of DIY Electronics (http://www.kitsrus.com/) and
resided in Asia for around 25 years.

Born in Tasmania Australia, he wrote many recent electronic kit articles
for magazines like Silicon Chip, and in conjunction with his good friend
Frank Crivelly (http://www.ozitronics.com/) designed many new kits and
sold them world wide. Frank also designed many of the kits that Peter
was selling.

Details from Hong Kong are given at:
http://www.dontronics.com/cat_hard_diy.html

Don...

I'm sorry to hear that, He seemed a good bloke
from the little contact I had with the guy.

Condolences,
Mark Harriss

 

[Craig Hart]

Sad news indeed.

I worked with Peter for about a year or so here on Oz when he was working
for Talking Electorincs (circa 1989, or thereabouts), where he learned "the
craft" that eventually led to him setting up kitsrus.

Peter was a nice enough guy, even though he was a ruthless businessman (many
of the early numbered kitsrus kits are direct copies of Talking Electronics
designs, ruthlessly stolen by Peter, untouchable due to the intricies and
cost of prosecuting a case of international Copyright law violation). The
'Southern Cross 1' is a direct copy of the TEC-1 (Published in Talking
Electronics issues 10-15), for example.

Never the less, I note his passing with sadness. Cancer is never good, but
perhaps it represents some measure of natural justice.

Craig

..

 

[David L. Jones]

Sad news indeed.

I worked with Peter for about a year or so here on Oz when he was working
for Talking Electorincs (circa 1989, or thereabouts), where he learned "the
craft" that eventually led to him setting up kitsrus.

Peter was a nice enough guy, even though he was a ruthless businessman (many
of the early numbered kitsrus kits are direct copies of Talking Electronics
designs, ruthlessly stolen by Peter, untouchable due to the intricies and
cost of prosecuting a case of international Copyright law violation). The
'Southern Cross 1' is a direct copy of the TEC-1 (Published in Talking
Electronics issues 10-15), for example.

I always wondered about that one and various other kits.
He did the same thing with my 20MHz Function Generator, which never
really bothered me, but after some prodding he did at least credit me
in the end.

Sad to hear of his passing though, I hope the bussiness can continue at
least.

Dave

 

[[email protected]]

I always wondered about that one and various other kits.
He did the same thing with my 20MHz Function Generator, which never
really bothered me, but after some prodding he did at least credit me
in the end.

Sad to hear of his passing though, I hope the bussiness can continue at
least.

Dave

I've still got some Talking Electronics magazines, I used to buy them
when I was a teenager. I prefered Talking Electronics to ETI back in
those days mainly because I could understand it better as it was more
aimed at the beginner/hobbiest.
Did Peter make much money with kitsrus, what I mean is what is the
market like for kit businesses.
Dean.

 

[Mr.T]

Sad news indeed.

I worked with Peter for about a year or so here on Oz when he was working
for Talking Electorincs (circa 1989, or thereabouts), where he learned "the
craft" that eventually led to him setting up kitsrus.

Peter was a nice enough guy, even though he was a ruthless businessman (many
of the early numbered kitsrus kits are direct copies of Talking Electronics
designs, ruthlessly stolen by Peter, untouchable due to the intricies and
cost of prosecuting a case of international Copyright law violation). The
'Southern Cross 1' is a direct copy of the TEC-1 (Published in Talking
Electronics issues 10-15), for example.

Never the less, I note his passing with sadness. Cancer is never good, but
perhaps it represents some measure of natural justice.

Craig

A pretty mean person to take a swipe at Peter at the time of his passing. He
usually attributed his designs exactly where they came from. Mostly the
manufacturers data sheets!
Some of the designs were reworked from other kits, often improved in the
process. This is a common practice throughout the industry.

The world is full of real pricks, IMO Peter was not one of them.

MrT.

 

[Mr.T]

Did Peter make much money with kitsrus, what I mean is what is the
market like for kit businesses.

He was by no means a rich man, and I think it is getting much harder now
that it is cheaper to buy Chinese ready made electronics than what the parts
cost.

MrT.

 

[Phil Allison]

"Mr.T" = Mr Turd

"Craig Hart"
"the craft" that eventually led to him setting up kitsrus.

A pretty mean person to take a swipe at Peter at the time of his passing.

** Since the defamation laws that charlatans hide behind no longer applies
it is also first opportunity most folk "in the know" get to speak out.

He usually attributed his designs exactly where they came from.

** Which says he often didn't as well - ie when he plagiarised them.

Mostly the manufacturers data sheets!

** Naturally - since there is no problem with acknowledging them.

Some of the designs were reworked from other kits, often improved in the
process. This is a common practice throughout the industry.

** If you do not attribute the original author of a published design - it
is plagiarism.

One of my published projects was derived from a short WW article, another
was a re-design and de-bug of an ETI project - both of which I was careful
to fully attribute.

The world is full of real pricks,

** You oughta know - fuckhead.

IMO Peter was not one of them.

** He was no saint either.




............. Phil

 

[Mr.T]

** You oughta know - fuckhead.

Sure do, I've seen enough of your antics.

MrT.

 

[David L. Jones]

I've still got some Talking Electronics magazines, I used to buy them
when I was a teenager. I prefered Talking Electronics to ETI back in
those days mainly because I could understand it better as it was more
aimed at the beginner/hobbiest.
Did Peter make much money with kitsrus, what I mean is what is the
market like for kit businesses.
Dean.

I believe he had sold at least several thousand of my 20MHz Function
Generator kit, and that was a few years back.
There is always a niche market there for the right kits. DSE still sell
them because there is a good profit margin in it.

Dave

 

[Ed -|-]

call a spade a spade

but also

never speak ill of the dead

 

[Phil Allison]

"Mr.T" = Mr Turd


** Trevor = another anonymous, autistic turd !!

You are and have always been a brain dead, trolling, useless,
psychopathic **** !!

You leave mere morons spinning in your wake.

Get back to your kiddie porn and public dunny trolling.




.......... Phil

 

[Phil Allison]

"Ed -|-" = some anonymous POS troll

call a spade a spade

but also

never speak ill of the dead

** Sure thing troll - so Hitler, Stalin and Saddam were really cool
uys - right ??

Only an fool quotes clichés.

Only a complete fuckwit believes in them.

Only a criminal arsehole insists others do the same.





.............. Phil

 

[budgie]

On 16 Jun 2005 20:23:21 -0700, [email protected] wrote:

(snip)

Did Peter make much money with kitsrus, what I mean is what is the
market like for kit businesses.

If I can take the liberty of quoting a section of an email from Peter to myself
on the topic of that cliche "chinese copy":

"chinese will copy anything they can to make money. At the Toy Fair each january
there are usually fights as the 'original' owners fight literally people who
have copied them. I met the girl from Taiwan a few years back and she said they
were having trouble copying my kits because mine were so cheap. They already
went to cheaper PCBs but basically I think they have given up"

If the mainland "Chinese copy" types couldn't match his prices, I'd suggest
there wasn't a particularly high margin.

 

[Ed -|-]

Hmmm

troll, methinks

 

[Phil Allison]

"Ed -|-" = some anonymous POS troll

call a spade a spade

but also

never speak ill of the dead

** Sure thing troll - so Hitler and Stalin and were really cool guys -
right ??

Only a fool quotes clichés.

Only a complete fuckwit believes in them.

Only a criminal arsehole insists others do the same.





.............. Phil

 

[Ed -|-]

Guys

A fool
or
an idiot

how's the sherry tonight?