Dear Reader:
We're wrapping up yet another year, one that I'm sure many are happy to see fade into the sunset. I've got just a few quick topics to wrap up before moving into a nice fresh 2010.
Business first. You heard from President Don last month about a year end sale on the most popular products. That sale is still on - until the end of the year. You'll be happy to know that it's not too late to put an industrial Ethernet managed switch or long range Zlinx Radio Modem on your Christmas list. And what engineer wouldn't enjoy a few DIN rail power supplies in their stocking? Whether you're last minute Christmas shopping, or you've got a few bucks left in your 2009 budget, or even a January project that you'd like to save a few bucks on - get your orders in now!
The B&B Engineering elves have been busy working feverishly to unleash a bevy of new products next month. In fact, some of the elves will be writing lines of code with care in the midst of eggnog & such cheer. This November and December have been the most frantic I've ever seen for all of our engineers as they gear up for the January catalog.
Just a few teasers that I'll be diving more into next month:
If you haven't been using Ethernet Serial Servers to hang all of your standalone serial devices on your Ethernet network, it's time to poke your head out of your shell. And this large product lineup is going to grow even more in the coming weeks.
The Modbus Ethernet gateway line has been a big hit in 2009 - solving about every Modbus conversion and compatibility problem that could be thrown at it. With that success, look for new additions in that family to solve those same sorts of problems with other communications protocols.
What do you do when you need to extend your Ethernet into some remote location that blows the 100 meter limit out of the water? Our lineup of Ethernet Extenders is about to adopt a new sibling as well that will give you even more excuses to try out this first-rate problem-solver.
And even with the broadest line of serial converters and isolators on the planet, we're growing that line too. Some serious rough and tumble converter products, not to mention even more fiber conversion options will be hitting the shelves next month.
Our Zlinx line of wireless I/O and modems will be growing as well, giving you even more ways to get data whether from a sensor or a device, into your system without the expense of running wires.
Ok - let's get on with the juicy stuff.
Global Warming is a nearly irresistible magnet of a topic for me with its bizarre mix of science, politics and dollars. I've gone out of my way to limit my rants, raves and diatribes on the topic, including Copenhagen's events this week.
But have you noticed that Global Warming has been re-branded as Climate Change? Not sure what to make of that, but I'm sure there is a marketing committee somewhere driving the transition. The entire debacle is fascinating to watch - if anyone ever writes a book called "The Science, Politics and Religion of Global Warming," I'll line up to buy a copy.
As long as I'm pushing hot buttons, at 1 AM Monday morning the Senate cleared their first hurdle in accomplishing their mission of completing a health care bill by Christmas Eve. You can imagine the quality of that work. There's nothing scarier than political policy making with a deadline. By design, policy making must move at a snail's pace to end up with a product of value. Frankly, seeing the Senate abandon their slow and stodgy mode of operation scares me silly.
Speaking of political topics, it's a fun season to watch your inbox. All your suppliers have no doubt sent you a thoughtful holiday e-message. They all read something like; Happy Holidays, Season's Greetings, even Joyful Winter Solstice, or other "Happy non-specific gift-giving-season".
Not one Merry Christmas in the bunch, not in my inbox. Virtually everyone, here in the US anyway, has been so well-schooled in political correctness and is so concerned about a potential nasty gram from an anti-Santa zealot that the word Christmas has virtually disappeared from corporate language.
Even B&B isn't immune. One of those emails in my inbox is B&B's very own holiday message. You probably saw it yourself. A striking graphic scribed with the non-offensive message - Happy Holidays.
There was some print too, about how we will be open for business and shipping every day save the 24th (that would be Christmas Eve), the 25th(eh - Christmas), and New Years day (college football, hangovers and such).
So it appears the burden here lies with me to issue the politically incorrect holiday wishes.
So here you go - every politically incorrect holiday greeting I could muster.
Eid Mubarak
Happy Pancha Ganapati
Joyous Kwanzaa
Happy (belated) Hanukkah
and of course,
Merry Christmas!
Mike Fahrion
e-support@bb-europe.com
+353 91 792444
