Chapter 21
Ten Suppliers of Components and Tools
In This Chapter
Understanding the difference between a manufacturer, a distributor, and a supplier
Finding hobbyist-friendly resources
Discovering the big five worldwide distributors
No matter what project you undertake, you need the right components, the right tools, and the idea. Most of this book is about the idea, but components and tools are vital for any project’s success, and that’s where this chapter comes in.
Farnell/Newark
Farnell (known as Newark in the United States) is a major distributor and partner of the Raspberry Pi Foundation. It has a vast range of parts, but it does tend to charge top price, and some one-off delivery charges on some items are high. You can start shopping at www.farnell.com
or www.newark.com. A subsidiary of Farnell, called CPC, handles most hobby orders. Next-day delivery ensures minimum disruption to your projects.
Farnell also runs element14, a forum for developers and hobbyists, with web events, video tutorials, and webinars. You can find out more at www.element14.com.
RS Components
RS Components is the other major UK distributor. It used to be known as Radio Spares (not to be confused ...
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