low cost prototype PCB vendor?

On 4/27/2010 1:52 PM, Tony Duell wrote: It's a neat tidbit of information, I'll try it, because I do protos from time to time, but the numbering always seems to get me. I think there's a lot of value to designing first. I guess in some cases, the design is truly one off, but often other hobbyists want to know the design. If someone wires it up first, they rarely go back and document it, and then they give the excuse that they don't have time, it's not a priority, etc. For someone who won't buy anything unless it has documentation and schematics, I would assume you see lots of value in the documentation aspect. In my opinion, a lot of good one-off designs are denied the opportunity to be more useful to a larger audience because there is no documentation on them. Putting it on paper first seems like a good idea for all except the most trivial of designs. I don't expect people to diagram a linear PSU, but more complicated designs seem like they would benefit from a "desk check" prior to warming up the iron. Some might argue that it's like software development. If you just need a utility for personal use, then just code it up and go. But, I see it differently, at least until circuits can document themselves like SW can. I just picked up 2 48 pin TQFP adapters, and they were 3 times the cost of the parts I will solder to them. FOr an upcoming design with 6 SMT ICs, the cost of those nifty boards will exceed the cost of the PCB fabrication. Jim