Octopart is a search engine for electronic parts. It has a look'n feel like Google.
After entering a term, like blue LED, the search engine returns part number, Web links, prices, and availability. Sometimes there are also links to CAD drawings in Adobe's SWF (flash) and PDF formats, like this one: Lumex__SSL-LX5093ID.swf.
CAD drawings in Flash format -- will wonders never cease.
Flash is such an abused format that I turn it off in my web browser. Those ubiquitous ads on so many sites with the dancing figures hyping mortgage interest rates are simply too annoying for words. CAD drawings are likely better off in some other format, any other format. Flash doesn't offer any advantages for CAD that PDF cannot match.
Posted by: matt | Mar 06, 2007 at 08:25 AM
Flash has one important advantage: It is a format controlled by Adobe.
You'll see it used a lot more in the future.
Posted by: Evan Yares | Mar 06, 2007 at 01:16 PM
It doesn't matter what format a drawing is saved or presented in a poorly drawn drawing is a poorly drawn drawing; I'll bet the LED is another example of a draughtsperson using 3D software with no knowledge of how a component should appear on a drawing.
Posted by: R. Paul Waddington | Mar 06, 2007 at 02:17 PM
"After entering a term, like blue LED, the search engine returns..."
Well, the search was only half right... it mixed up blue LEDs with red ones ;)
Posted by: | Mar 07, 2007 at 12:07 PM
Octopart is great but personally I find it outdated. A new one I've found and like to use is Component Search
Posted by: Aaron | Nov 12, 2014 at 05:07 PM