Some thoughts from the owner...

The formalizing of Blue Feather Technologies as an actual business was a definite milestone for me, and that feeling still remains even with the business side in 'semi-retirement.' The idea for the company formed from my ongoing dislike for a world where "planned obsolescence" has taken the place of quality, longevity, and (in many cases) common sense in almost every electronic or computer product made today. Just because something can be done with technology does not always mean that it should be done.

I've always found a great deal of satisfaction in restoring so-called "obsolete" equipment to practical use, constructing equipment from a kit, and doing my own designs, and I often wonder why more people aren't doing so. As Clifford Stoll put it so well in his book 'Silicon Snake Oil' (which, BTW, I highly recommend), "...We've become a nation of appliance operators who take pride in what we own, rather than what we build..."

Another thing I've noticed is that many service and supply companies choose to ignore the hobbyist sector, largely due to what they claim are economic factors. It's tough for those at the hobbyist level to find someone to program just one or two EPROMs, or to modify a commercial radio for amateur service when the radio was not designed for the band to begin with.

Had it not been for my hobbyist roots, including the support of many whom I can call mentors, I would never have gotten this far. I cannot forget that! This is why I've chosen to tailor Blue Feather to serve both industry and hobbyist alike.

My promises to you, as my customer, are simple, and they apply whether you're a single individual or the owner of a multi-billion dollar worldwide conglomerate:

(1): I will strive to provide the best possible product or service to you, within my fields of expertise, at a fair price. If I cannot help you, I will tell you as much up front, and I will try to refer you to someone who can fulfill your needs.

(2): Any products that I design and manufacture for sale will be produced with serviceability and longevity in mind, using as many standard and readily available parts as possible. I will not skimp when it comes to making a quality product, even if it ends up costing a little more than functionally comparable devices from other manufacturers.

(3): I do not now, nor will I ever, subscribe to the idea of "planned obsolescence."

(4): I'm not doing a mailing list or customer database at this time outside of the invoicing records I maintain. Should I start to do such in the future, know that I will NEVER spam you! The only E-mail you'll ever see from myself or Blue Feather will be directly related to business you're already doing with us. I do not now, nor will I ever, adopt Unsolicited Bulk E-mail as a marketing tool. There are, after all, lots of cleaner ways to commit Internet suicide...

That's it. You can't get much clearer than that, yet these simple goals seem to be amazingly hard for some companies to follow.

The only other thing I want to add is that I would never have gotten Blue Feather off the ground had it not been for my wife, Dana. Her support, and her willingness to be a sounding board for some of my loonier ideas, has seen me through more than a few long nights.

So, here we are, for better or worse! We're both hoping for more of the former than the latter, and I would like to say a warm 'thank you!' for your interest. I hope I can help you with your present or future projects.

All the best...

( Bruce Lane , Owner and Head Honcho).