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old databooks

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zappedagain

zappedagain

Electrical
Jul 19, 2005
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Well I hauled my data-book collection from the last 20+ years out next to the trash today. They give an interesting glimpse at history, with companies that have long dissolved in multiple mergers, and technology well along on the end-of-life curve. Other than that, they were just taking up space with everything available on the web today. Heaven forbid we lose the web (is that in the prophecies? 'www' is kinda/sort of '666' in Hebrew ya know ( to clear your mind)).

Anyway, does anybody see any value in this old hard copy that I'm missing? I plan to keep a few favorites around; the rest are getting trashed (unless I can get the recycler to take bound books).

Z
 
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Hi Zapped!

I am lucky to have lots of space. So I have kept all my old data books. I have intel 4004 books from 1973 and I have Signetics and TI books from the same era. Also the full set of NS (the blue books) and early LT. They are beutifully made and the app-notes are something you don't see often these days.

I keep them for the piece of technology history they represent. They might even have some value on eBay? Did you try that?

Gunnar Englund
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100 % recycled posting: Electrons, ideas, finger-tips have been used over and over again...
 
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Nope I saw that light about 6 years ago. I had a hard fought well maintained library.

It had every data book I could ever need and I used them all. In it I had; Intel, National, AMD, Linear Technology, Signetics, EXAR, Analog Devices, Intersil, Burr-Brown, HP Semiconductors, Motorola, Philips, Microchip, Hitachi, Toshiba, Zilog, Micrel, Panasonic, Ledtronics, GE, RCA, Siliconix, Benchmarq, Brooktree, Unitrode, Rockwell, California Eastern, Crystal Semi, Ricoh, Samsung, Dallas, Datel, Fairchild, NEC, Fuji Electronics, Harris, Raytheon, Maxim, Sharp, ON Semi, STMicro, Xicor, and TI.

That's the ones I specifically remember. Some companies had tomes, some had multiple tomes. Motorola shesh.. Maybe three feet of tomes. Same with National.

Anyway after chasing these things like rare art,(some were!), cornering salesman from far and wide, it dawned on me, for the last year, I didn't look up a single thing there. I would look over my shoulder at the walls of data books and then type in a part number at the National site and WAH-LA.

So I got a hand truck and ditched the whole thing. My library consumed eight 60-Gallon garbage cans.
6bm5afp.gif


Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.-
 
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My collection is getting more and more valuable as you guys go on trashing yours. Keep up the work!

Smoked. I had som difficulties understanding your "WAH-LA".

I think I got it now. The exact translation would be "Look (there)" I think. Creative, as always.

Gunnar Englund
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100 % recycled posting: Electrons, ideas, finger-tips have been used over and over again...
 
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Yes. My fine manners didn't allow me to be so outspoken. C'est moi - je suis comme ca.

Gunnar Englund
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100 % recycled posting: Electrons, ideas, finger-tips have been used over and over again...
 
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Ah, a 50-50 split as expected! Skogs, I thought (briefly) about e-bay but it doesn't quite seem worth it (trash <> treasure).

I expect I'll follow Smoked's lead and make your collection more valuable.

Z
 
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I prefer the old paper books, but bow to the convenience of the internet all too often. It has been a long time since I managed to scrounge any data books, but I'm not getting rid of the ones I have. In the mean time my archive of downloaded stuff continues to grow and clog up the works server. I will need to keep a backup in case I ever need to swap employers!

Most IC manufacturers are good at keeping their data on older products available online, but manufacturers in some other sectors are much more lax: Groupe Schneider are a nightmare for older products, good as they are at documenting the current range, and Areva are doing a terrible job of making available data on the hugely popular M-series of protection relays. Plus they discontinued the hard copy of the excellent Network Protection & Automation Guide, one of the finest available texts on the subject. Sadly it is now download-only, although as a free resource it is still remarkable.


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Sometimes I only open my mouth to swap feet...
 
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That is the one big problem. The powers that be often are too dimwitted to actually have moved extremely valuable stuff from their data books to online. Some nitwit looks at say, the National Linear Applications Handbook, a virtual work of art on the subject and they see, "Oh look! These app notes are all showing opamps that we want to obsolete... We don't want to publish these!" Argh!

Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.-
 
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I have always found that the problem with old data books (of any discipline) are a problem because whatever you look up, you always end up reading about 50 pages either side of the page(s) you really need just because it's interesting! Real timewaster. Whereas on the 'net', all you get is what you searched for and porn!

I have an old application data book on 4CX250 valves (tubes?), which I occasionally come across during house moves and I just have to stop and refresh my memory of the fun you can get from one (or two in parallel!)

I guess it's just an Engineer thing...........


Cheers


Harry
 
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I keep some and toss some. One day I'll scan the parts I want and get rid of the rest. Hadn't thought about e-Bay though, I'll have to check out what going for what there.

I agree with Skogs, many of the app notes are still very useful and different. Just need to update parts with the latest technology. My old Signetic Hard Cover data book (1976?) has an excellent treatise on phase lock loops, and my 1978 Fairchild TTL data book has some analog applications for logic gates that would make your toes curl!

The National Audio Applications book (with the "Floobydust" chapter) is a classic.

Most web sites, every time I check, are culling out their "old" application notes. I don't know why, it should be cheap to archive EVERYTHING there. Put it in a section marked "obsolete" or "historic" so folks understand they won't be able to buy the parts mentioned there.

And my old GE Transistor Manual, there's a regular solid state physics course in there, for anyone who really wants to understand transistors and diodes on a fundamental level. It's hard to find that level of detail any more.

And while there's still some good humor to be found, I think a lot of companies have gotten too serious. When National degraded their LH0063 buffer from "Damn Fast" to merely "Ultra Fast", the electronics world became a little less fun. And one day I'll dig up my spec sheet for the Signetics WOM (Write Only Memory). The plot of Number of Pins Remaining versus Number of Socket Insertions... ha!

When I was at HP, their internal parts catalog has an admonition that magnetic monopoles were not to be used in new designs.

 
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jimkirk,

If it is the Signetics book in white hardcover with an IC embossed, it is 1974.

Went looking for that GE Transistor handbook (must be around 1968?) but couldn't find it. Found their SCR manuals, though. Both fourth (1967) and sixth editions.

I guess that collecting antique data books will eventually turn into a legitimate hobby for elderly EE:s. Yes, why not? With meetings, seminars, auctions, visits to manufacturers. Sounds quite interesting. Smoked; Can't remember where you ditched them? Can you?

Gunnar Englund
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100 % recycled posting: Electrons, ideas, finger-tips have been used over and over again...
 
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I did... Keep my GE SCR tome. Nice book. And the National Analog Applications. And the Signetics large book that had a whole chapter on the 555.(paper back)Red-ish and white.

BTW I worked for Signetics first job out of college. Just when "Zero Defects" mania hit.

Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.-
 
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We keep ALL our old data books despite exhortation from management not to take up space ("5S" mania) and that "it's all on the web".

NO! it isn't. It's maybe fine if you are designing with cutting-edge technology all day long; if you are supporting "legacy" systems your Obsolescence department gets a hard time if it can't find the original baseline spec for that old device in order to find a new equivalent. Nowadays lots of manufacturers don't even bother with cross reference / equivalents on their web sites.
 
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