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Easter picture post

Jimmy’s sent over a some pictures taken during the setup for a couple of last week’s tests. I know a lot of you were interested in seeing what the inside of an anechoic testing chamber looks like. When you’re done geeking out, scroll down to the bottom for a bonus picture from a pub toilet. (Nothing to do with our EMC testing, but it has a bearing on CE marks of more than one kind.)

Radiative immunity test - the Raspberry Pi is at the front right corner of the table. The video camera at the left is for monitoring output while we run the test.

Setup for testing radiative emissions. The device standing against the wall at the left is a microwave horn for receiving frequencies above 1GHz.

So: the pub toilet thing. In the last week or so, we’ve all been hyperaware of any CE marks in our immediate environment because of all the work we’ve been doing to make sure we are allowed to use one. CE stands for Conformité Européenne, meaning “European Conformity”; it’s a mark which shows that the product it’s on conforms to whatever European directives govern the product type.

We’ve been particularly interested to observe all kinds of things, electronic and otherwise, which carry a mark which looks a lot like the CE mark, but which doesn’t mean Conformité Européenne. The other mark means China Export – you can see the difference between the two marks in this picture. It’s a sneaky-clever way some people try to get around the regulations.

Image from Wikimedia Commons

So I was really creeped out when I spotted the machine below in the ladies’ loo in a Norwich pub this lunchtime. Compare the symbol reading “CE” at the bottom to the ones above. (Yes, that is my glowing face reflected next to the lime. I do not actually have a unibrow; it’s lighting.)

Eugh.

Don’t rely on banana-flavour condoms.

114 comments

Wow, I never realised there were two different ones meaning different things. I’m going to be looking out for this quite often now!

Haha, wouldn’t China Export condoms be particularly on the short size? XD

I hope my Dad and my brother don’t read this…

Ha, sorry – don’t mean to offend =P

And should I be worried that I have just found the China Export logo on my new graphics card box? =\ http://t.co/f1vIHPsS

None taken! (And I’m not going to comment on your graphics card box, because I don’t want to make the Foundation liable for any companies I accidentally libel…)

Well of course, that is fair enough. Just surprised to see that if it is the case – especially on such an expensive bit of kit!

// Password headaches =[

You should get a compass (the geometry kind, not the navigation kind) out and complete the circle of the C to see how it really compares to CE mark example just for curiosity’s sake :-)

Hmmmm… Could be that it is actually imported from China, which would make the ChinaE-mark legit. There should, however be another sticker with our CE-mark on there somewhere, I rekon.

//Password headaches as well

Offence taken, for perpetuating a stereotype. How would you know by the way, Jamie? Interested in that sort of thing? ;)

I had hoped for some Cthulhu pics.. ;-)

Me too, but sadly Jimmy didn’t send one. (All the same: I bet that’s the first time you’ve seen inside a ladies’ loo.)

Yeah, that shot is quite a revealation, too.

of course all disclaimers apply and nothing should be read in to it but nope not the first time i have seen the inside of the ladies loo by a long shot. it has been a couple of decades but i still remember how nice they were compared to the men’s loo. a lot of them even have carpeting on the floor. They do have very high toilet seats though which is why women always go to the toilet in pubs and clubs in packs. they need to give each other a leg up to reach.

Makes you wonder how they tested them, if a single test takes hours ;)

They had to chew until the falvor faded. Took some time, obviously.

Perhaps they had to get Sting involved.

Oh yeah, I can listen to Mr. Summer’s music for hours, too… ;-)

I believe it’s Mr. Sum_n_er, but, that’s what he gets for spelling his name with such easily-confused letters :)

Then, to complicate matters further, he named his fourth solo album “Ten Summoner’s Tales” (well, it was a tribute to his father’s vocation, IIRC, and from that is what their surname is derived).

Oh yeah, you are right. I looked it up to make sure, but sometimes my keyboard doesn’t like me and the captcha here really got on my nerves :D

Anyway: Great musician besides all the tantra stuff..

What!!!??? No Raspberry condom in the machine!?

I have to confess, I lack the eye that can spot the big difference between the two!

It’s a geometric thing; in the European one you can extend the C to form a circle, the right-hand edge of which overlaps with the semicircle formed by the back of the E. The China Export letters are much closer to one another.

Oh, I can see that now, cool! Too bad that Wikipedia image didn’t do the nice little grid on both of them. I couldn’t figure out if something was different or if it was an optical illusion created by the grid! :-P

You’ll be pleased to know that on my android tablet your reflection does not show up. When ypu look back on this time in your life say in about 10 years time I bet you’ll be slightly embarassed by this photo ;-)

It’s not as bad as the one of Eben in one of my Mum’s hats that someone dug up last week.

Care to share it? :D

The China Export mark is a cute story but I’m afraid it a myth..albeit a very enduring one.

There is no China Export mark. What is portrayed in the images above is simply a badly rendered CE Marking. Now there is no doubt that there are manufacturers (from China and elsewhere) who will apply CE Marking without applying an appropriate dilligence to the testing and design considerations. Such manufacturers are generally not too concerned whether they apply the true CE Marking or a corrupted version of it. Either way they won’t be held to account for the compliance of their product.
I have seen beautifully rendered CE Marking on product that was clearly non compliant and ‘bad’ markings on products from highly reputable companies who simply shrunk the marking due to lack of space on the label.

My guess is that the ‘China Export’ thing arose from some unkind skeptics of the CE Marking shceme (which is largely based on manufacturers’ self declaration) who predicted (with some degree of accuracy) that it would lead to a high level of non compliance products from China and other countries.

By the way, – at the risk of being overly pedantic – the CE Marking does not stand for Conformité Européenne. I have never seen any document from the European Commission that indicates ‘CE’ stands for anything other than ‘CE’. It is just a marking and – formally at least – the letters do not stand for anything at all.

Almost: “CE” is now defined by the EU, which has nothing better to do than output this sort of thing (which sort of thing I had to spend what was probably one of the dullest years of my life studying when I was at university) as just being a quality mark, which they imply doesn’t stand for anything; but it *did* start its life standing for Conformité Européenne.

I agree with your assessment that some valid CE marks are not kerned in the way they’re meant to be, and so look dodgy. The problem is that although the CE rules say that you’re not allowed to alter the logo, the EU hasn’t ever taken the step of trademarking the CE mark, so it does appear in bowlderised forms as well as being put on stuff it’s not meant to be on. The China Export mark (which does exist and which some of the guys we’ve been working with have seen on the ground in China) is much younger than the CE mark, and was only raised as a problem over here in 2008. (CE marking has been around since 1993.) If I was a designer before 2008 trying to make text more pleasing and didn’t realise there was a geometric rationale and regulatory restrictions behind the kerning of the letters, I might move them closer too. Since 2008, though, companies are more aware, and are being much more careful about it. Over in the forum, Michael, for example, has spotted a poorly kerned CE on his Microsoft mouse, which I think we can safely assume to be compliant – but it may well date from a few years ago.

The CE Marking was NEVER (and was never intended to be) a quality mark. In fact the European Commission have gone to pains to stress that it is not a quality mark and has nothing to do with quality. It never stood for Conformité Européenne.

The China Export mark does not exist – except perhaps in the imaginations of some. As far as I can tell it’s existance is only evidenced by the numerous badly drawn mark that appear on products. But I have never met anyone who can tell me who owns this mark, who controls it, what is specifications/requirements are. By the way the European Commission has also offered on opinion on the China Export mark: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getAllAnswers.do?reference=P-2007-5938&language=EN

I don’t wish to start an argument – and the most important thing is that the Pi passed the testing – but there is a lot of misunderstandings and misconceptions out there about CE Marking.

I mean no offence, but this is from the European Commission Enterprise and Industry Website FAQ:
————————–
What does CE marking stand for?

The letters CE stand for “Conformité Européenne” which means “European Conformity”. The term initially used was “EC mark” but this was officially replaced by “CE marking” in Directive 93/68/EEC in 1993. “CE marking” is now used in all official EU documents.

The CE marking symbolises the conformity of the product with the applicable Community requirements imposed on the manufacturer.

The CE marking affixed to products is a declaration by the person responsible that the product conforms to all applicable Community provisions and that the appropriate conformity assessment procedures have been completed.
———————
I would agree that it is not a ‘quality’ mark, but a compliance or conformity mark. Also, it appears that trademark protection was applied for in 2008, but I could not find a reference to whether that was granted or not. They DO give very clear guidelines as to its proper design and layout, and make no allowances for ‘fudging’…

Agreed, there is no such thing as Chinese Export mark. The Chinese would never endorse such a thing. Why? Because quite simply their intention is to make people think the product conforms to the requirements for CE marking :) If they made an official thing of CE meaning Chinese Export, people would then start to ask if it was CE compliant (in the European/correct sense). The origins of Chinese Export are in the engineering community – the conversation would be something like “This is never CE compliant, how can they put CE on it?” “Oh that just means Chinese Export” ;) So in conclusion it wouldn’t help any Chinese manufacturer (or reseller into the EC) to lead people to believe that their CE marking means anything other than European CE compliant.

The funny thing about a language, the more people misuse a word, the more correct that misuse becomes. While the Chine Export is just a bad rendering, it was one perpetuated by those (as you said ;-)) who just just slapped a CE mark on the side of the box without caring about the testing itself. As a result of the geographical location of the manufacture of these products (china) the China export while being a myth has come to correctly identify a general type of product (so while it itself might be a myth, that which it represents is no myth at all ;-))

But for the CE marking not standing for Conformité Européenne, I fear you are mistaken :-)

Taken from the CE website:

“The letters CE stand for “Conformité Européenne” which means “European Conformity”. The term initially used was “EC mark” but this was officially replaced by “CE marking” in Directive 93/68/EEC in 1993. “CE marking” is now used in all official EU documents.”

Which is to say you’ll never see it referred to anything but CE mark in documentation, but it does in fact stand for Conformité Européenne :-)

Could you point us to a link for the “CE Website”? Note that there are many, many websites using the words ‘CE mark’ in their title. Usually these are private, commerical interests offering consultancy on compliance in Europe. I make no comment on their dilligence and capabilities but they do not represent any official source of information.

If you can find a document from any EU institution stating the CE is an acronym for anything, I will happily eat my Pi(e).

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/toys/faq/index_en.htm

Interesting the FAQ on the European Union web site says CE stands for ‘Conformité Européenne’ but the actual directive, pointed to on that page doesn’t contain the word Conformité or Européenne. So is it an official designation or not? This is the sort of thing lawyers get fat arguing about!
I’d eat my Pi though if anyone could point me to an official Chineses site that defines China Export.

Look up the page for a link Michael provided that takes you to the European Commission website, in discussing CE it states that it does stand for Conformité Européenne, but states that they agreed (for some bizarre reason) they would only refer to it as CE Mark in documentation.

I believe the phrase “China Export” is not so much an official designation by some governmental entity as it is a recognition among engineers and the community at large of the general quality of work associated with products that use the squeezed version of the CE mark as opposed to the official one. It’s not that everyone does that (which is to say there are people who provide sub par work using the official mark and people who provide excellent work with the compressed mark), but that this is the trend with those who used the compressed image :-)

Well, ***CRUNCH*** , there goes my Pi along with a few teeth.

Clearly from this – and a few other websites I see – the Commission is now stating that the letters do in fact stand for Conformité Européenne. I hadn’t seen this before. As I recall, one reason for the reluctance to assign a ‘words’ to the letters was that is was impossible to assing wording that didn’t show preference for one EU language or another.

I do think it is odd that the Commission would casually (i.e. in a website) throw in a meaning for a legally defined term that is not laid down in the CE Directive – which is really the only document that carries any legal weight.

Still, fair enough – if the Commission are say that’s what it means, I accept that and I withdraw previous comments to the contrary!

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/toys/faq/index_en.htm#Q1-6
http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/business-sectors/environmental-and-product-regulations/product-regulation/ce-marking-faqs
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/faq/ce-marking_en.htm
http://www.dolceta.eu/ireland/Mod3/CE-conformity-marking.html

Google – do you use it?

Nice links, but no need to be pedantic about google :-P

The link Michael provided is the very one I use :-) Thanks Michael!

No this is being pedantic with google:
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=CE+Mark

Sorry I couldn’t resist.

Touché

I once got to go inside a semi-anechoic chamber (sound, not electromagnetic radiation). Was really weird, especially since they had it set up to act like a slightly more rubbish version of a fully anechoic chamber.
I was confused by quiet noises for about half an hour…

You will find the same effect in an EMC chamber, it’s an audio dead zone, slightly disorientating.

This brings up a very curious question. Has anyone seen an item that contains both “China Export” and CE marks? As they are not exclusive, I suspect that it is possible!

I’ve never seen that! But I have seen ‘good’ markings and ‘bad’ ones on different products from the same company!

So THAT”S what a girls toilet looks like, AND they have Fruit machines !!!! :)

I wonder which one is stamped on the back of my iPhone?!

I got curious and looked on my iToch. It seems to be the accurate version. My macbook, an sdcard from kingston, some lousy pc speakers, mac power supply, water boiler, samsung monitor, senseo coffee thingy, TAN generator, external hd – All have the ‘good’ logo, I did not find any of the condensed versions.

But I didn’t check the china pc components boxes.

One of the things we sell is plastic bottles (reusable). We get these from China.

We were offered to have an L in a triangle added to the bottom of the bottle by one company. This would make most people assume it was a “7” type for recycling.

We declined. :)

I think you’d be safe anyway if the “7” recycling code just means “Other” type of plastic (not 1-6). I believe “7” could mean Polycarbonate, ABC, or really anything else. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_recycling#Plastic_identification_code

Interesting stuff about the CE “mark”.

It IS possible that all the variants are purely due to the efforts by clueless graphic designers to fit the CE into an available space!

I just had a look at a few items floating about my desk.
1. A Hitachi HDC-991e digital camera: Mark correctly spaced, but the crossbar on the “E” is narrower than it should be.
2. A Dymo LetraTag labeller: Conforms spot on.
3. AN ASDA wireless mouse: Correctly spaced, but bar on “E” level with the ends.
4. A Microsoft Wired Keyboard 600: A plethora of conformity marks (9 in all). The CE is a bog standard “China Export” type mark.

The interesting thing about the Dymo labeller is you’d expect them to get it right as they are in the typographic business. However, one of the symbols provided by the labeller is the CE mark. I printed it out. Its accurate. For the China Export mark… :-)

Overall, its probably 25/75 between misleading application and lazy graphic designers. They all need whacking with a big stick!

For people wanting to see the inside of a test chamber
http://youtu.be/ZM3jWYGNoLU
shows much more than the picture above.

Just to confirm, if the Raspi *had not* passed the CE testing, we’d all need to wear those condoms in order to use it?

Also…. I hope you complained to the pub owner about there being no Raspberry flavour! :D

Thanks for most of the photos … I won’t be able to get at least one of the images out of my mind for quite some time ;) At least I know that anechoic chambers haven’t changed at all in design in decades.

Interesting that Apple was well-represented on the poster, but, perhaps now that the R-Pi can proudly bear a CE mark (I’m not sure what kind, after all that back-and-forth banter), the next edition of the poster will include a Raspberry prominently in the foreground. There, now you have an excuse to visit the pub again frequently to provide us updates :)

Just to tweak the anal-retentive types, what are the relevant specifications governing testing of the fruit-flavored products pictured? I don’t want certain words attributed to my IP address in a Google search, I don’t trust the private browsing function in browsers to work, and I leave it as an exercise to the reader to sully their search cache at Google with naughty terms.

If people are resorting to eating their boards, I am officially offering to trade them uneaten boards for some just-as-tasty, dry, crunchy, and nutritious Graham Crackers.

CE marking governs:

Active implantable medical devices
Appliances burning gaseous fuels
Cableway installations designed to carry persons
Eco-design of energy related products
Electromagnetic compatibility
Equipment and protective systems intended for use potentially explosive atmospheres
Explosives for civil uses
Hot-water boilers
In vitro diagnostic medical devices
Lifts
Low voltage
Machinery
Measuring Instruments
Medical devices
Noise emission in the environment
Non-automatic weighing instruments
Personal protective equipment
Pressure equipment
Pyrotechnics
Radio and telecommunications terminal equipment
Recreational craft
Safety of toys
Simple pressure vessels

You could use a cherry-flavoured condom for *loads* of those applications. (Goes away to invent exploding hydrogen-powered cherry-flavour implantable hovercraft).

I suspect its the vending machine thats CE marked – did Liz, did you check any of the individual packets just to make sure?

No. I have no use for a lime-flavour condom and I wanted to keep my spare pound coins to spend on beer…

HUSSAR
.
Chink
.
Quaff

Me thinks you all deserve several beers for getting through the testing (the Raspi that is……. not the the vending machine)

Thinking about it, I’d say they’d come under:

Active implantable medical devices
Medical devices
Noise emission in the environment
Personal protective equipment
Recreational craft
Safety of toys
Simple pressure vessels

I’m not sure I’d want to write the test protocols, or oversee the testing process…..

I’m sorry for being personal Liz, but I just don’t understand you. You trained as a lawyer, yet you can talk intelligent techie, are handy with a soldering iron and can invent exploding hydrogen-powered cherry-flavour implantable hovercraft. How is this possible? Are you ISO compliant?

I also have great hair and a winning smile. It’s all down to the genes. Hybrid vigour, you see.

I concur. :-))
Hi from Pentwyn, by the way.

This sounds more like a list of indie rock band names, to me.

Liz – if they have raspberry flavored (that could be a couple of raspberries in the glare spot), you may have found the definitive Raspberry Pi case!

Also, were these signs up high on the wall?

I think they had blackberry flavour – and yes, they were high on the wall. And I’m only 5’2″.

There are slightly altered “FCC” marks on Chinese goods that stand for “Fabricated Cheaply in China”.

Excellent news… Hopefully I’ll be getting an Email from Farnell soon telling me that I’ll be getting mine before June!
I really wasn’t aware that the CE mark on lots of thiings isn’t a real CE mark and is instead this China Export mark… Sneaky… Very very Sneaky

The idea that people (?Chinese manufacturers) wouldn’t *cheat* with marks is about as believable as George Osborne being *shocked* that rich people avoid paying tax. Unless there are enforced standards then makers won’t comply. The good news is that the Pi has been properly tested and is compliant.

Sadly at my age I don’t often look at condom machines. I’ve never understood the idea of flavoured ones anyway. After all, I don’t flavour my fruit with rubber…

So thats what happened to the old Tardis interior!

I think the CE mark on “that machine” actually referrers to the machine rather than the contents.

Dear Raspberrians and those who are bananas,
CE in the leet language ‘Bow Wow’ used by team Puppy Linux
CE = Community Edition
http://puppylinux.org/wikka/BowWow

HI liz.I want to ask is there a other bump in the road for the raspberry pi again.Do to the CE mark need to be put on each board.I no it pass the test. And if so how long will it take

No, it doesn’t. I think I went over this in the comments in the previous post, but the CE rules say that for the period immediately after passing the CE tests, we can either use a sticker on the board, or just mark it on the packaging. We’ll be adding it to the silkscreen for later boards, but there won’t be a delay because of it.

HAHA i see your face on last photo :D

I enhanced the picture a bit, as I could not see at first :)
http://tinyurl.com/cxuzs9p

Oh, great. Now I have a moustache too. It’s just facial hair everywhere for me today.

So, if I am not in 1st batch, when will I get my Pi???

That’s a question for whoever you’re buying it from – should be pretty soon, though, we hope. Both RS and element14 are getting them made as fast as they can.

That’s interesting….are they (the vendors) acting and solely ordering the units from China now that the Pi’s have been certified?

RS and Farnell are now in charge of manufacturing, having licensed the Pi design and name. They pay a royalty on each board to the foundation. It’s up to them where they manufacture – currently China.

The reason that condoms are CE marked is because they are within the scope of the Medical Devices Directive. If sold in China they have to be CCC marked, China Compulsory Certification. People are often surprised to learn what is covered by regulations.

I only buy banana flavored condumbs if my stupid gf forgets to once again take the trash out and get me the right kind of beer. She has a potassium deficiency.

The website hoaxbuster.com says that the “CE logo” meaning China Export is a hoax.

It’s not important that a website or any other source says that “it” (CE) is a hoax….PEOPLE SEE IT ON CHINESE SOIL…like Liz said in her own words so eloquently – “The China Export mark (which does exist and which some of the guys we’ve been working with have seen on the ground in China) is much younger than the CE mark, and was only raised as a problem over here in 2008. (CE marking has been around since 1993.)” – it’s a “standard” or emblem there – where this product is made.

I’m not saying that THAT stands for quality and assurance but it’s an acronym for something…and that something over there is Chinese Export.

Nah, it’s a just a cute story. The Chinese are not without a sense of humour. A lot of genuine equipment also has the “fake” logo, so it is obviously just lazy artwork.

CE is self-certifying, so if someone uses it without having done the certification it could be seen as “fake”. But the only way to prove it is fake is to challenge the originator for their test documentation.
If they really wanted to fake it, they would just copy the CE logo exactly.

Hey, I’m good with that explanation – as good as any that I’ve heard….still it’s not getting us our Pi’s….in the face…We’re all so close on this “point” who cares really?…and Bob’s your uncle – or cousin…..

I just want success for this project and the world in general – I love the idea of educating the next generation – THAT’S WHAT we should be doing anyway….and I really looked at it and saw the growth potential about two years ago – It’s still making me beam. I’m just another fan…I preordered my board the same night/day that I could….it was obvious that I couldn’t connect to Farnell or the other website….didn’t expect the amount of traffic – I get “it” – I’m patient…….and I want to see what I can do with this hardware. I ordered it that night and got a confirmation date and THAT hasn’t changed…so maybe I’ll be lucky to be in the first batch…..I don’t expect it to be so. The first run boards IMO need to go to the frontline units – the teachers, developers, kids in the schools. Just my opinion(s), but I’m really proud of the ideas of these visionaries – may we all see a rebirth of brilliant children. LEARN, and be able to troubleshoot things on the fly. That’s what kids nowadays need….is that “ability” or “drive” to overachieve, to outthink what they have in front of them – to learn and enjoy it. I had that when I was a kid – I was lucky – I had an ATARI 800 with the full bank of 48K in it on Christmas Day, 1979…..Changed my life. We’re ALL products of our environment….and we all have certain gifts and moments in our lives…it’s really cool learning about the BBC Micro and such…I saw them here (in San Diego, CA USA) when I was a kid…and saw the TRS-80’s but when I saw color on a screen….I had to have it… I learned logo first, then Basic, then that was it….I got lobotomized by the WINDOZE world…. I will keep working on what I am working currently….ostly trying to learn Python and Lua (for another project) but it’s just great that people care this much to argue over simple details….PEACE.

It might seem that my comment is out of place, but truly I was surprised to see the word “condom” in a post about the board testing. Although, I’m sure that the bit about the condom meant to be funny, I say it reveals something not right. It reveals what Huxley has predicted long long ago in his novel “Brave New World” … Yes, Maybe I’m exaggerating .

I was told previously that when I present any topic [Especially if it is technical], there are 3 things that I shouldn’t talk about or refer to : “Religion, Politics and Sex”. I’m not sure what we are trying to teach children who can come across this page to learn something and see the post.

It is enough that every movie, book, ad around us is referring to sex in an era where we all became Pavlov’s dogs.

“An intellectual is a person who’s found one thing that’s more interesting than sex.” — Huxley.That is what successful people do and that is what I believe we want our children to be.

I’m not attacking any one, I’m just point towards what I think is not right.

I’m obviously not an intellectual then, although even I refrain from mentioning sex and dogs in the same sentence.

Except I appear to have just done it.

I was surprised to see Huxley (in general), and Brave New World (specifically), being used to support your complaint. Enforced promiscuity and Elementary Sex classes, where erotic play between children is taught as the norm, reveals something not right. However! As we are doing Huxley quotes, Aldous also mocked, “That maniacal preoccupation with chastity! Chastity — the most unnatural of all the sexual perversions” [Eyeless in Gaza, 1936, p382]. His brother Julian added: “It’s a bit sore and swollen but it’s OK. I’ll be fine to play on Saturday.” I have Jules’ book on Ants – all about fighting and sex – and it’s a classic. Ant-tastic! in fact.

Of course it was all their granddad Tom’s fault. The Bulldog started it by saying stuff like, “I really see no harm which can come of giving our children a little knowledge of physiology. But … the instruction must be real, based upon observation, eked out by good explanatory diagrams and models. [On Science and Culture, 1877].

I am an intellectual. I’m wearing a nice grey jumpsuit – designed by ‘Alpha’ for JJB Sports – and Bacofoil Ugg boots. I know I’m intelectial because I have found one thing that’s more interesting than sex : having sex wearing a grey ‘Alpha’ jumpsuit. As for condoms: condoms are fine; condoms are not dirty; Aldous would have loved condom machines in pubs.

The Pavlovian reference I don’t get – are you saying people act in a pre-ordained way when they see a reference to sex? Are you saying that sex is dirty? Hmmm. Sorry – I have to go. The doorbell has just rung and I’ve started dribbling for some reason.

You’re not incorrect per se. The important thing to recognize is that this isn’t a college term paper or a white sheet or even a review to technological peers, it’s a status update on a community driven website. We tend to let our hair down every once in awhile ya know? ;-)

What on earth do you do, BNW, if your child needs a wee in a motorway service station, a shopping centre, or in another of the hundreds of other public places that sells condoms? Do you ensure he/she wears blinkers on visits to Boots, or just make sure that you only frequent the shampoo aisle? Inquiring minds and all that.

@BNW:

On intellectuals: I know a lot of intellectual individuals, and the only person I’ve found in my travels thus far that found something more interesting than sex is certainly no intellectual. Certainly a great friend and very intelligent, but not intellectual. Instead of pursuits of the mind, he prefers body building, made his business in repairing automotive exteriors (I’m not sure if “car body work” translates well in the Queen’s English – I’m a yank) with a side business as a wedding disc jockey. What he found more interesting than sex was his “PWC” or “Personal Water Craft” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_water_craft — also another term I wasn’t sure of outside the US. Just in case you were wondering… sex *is* a close #2 on his list. ;-)

On Pavlov: The only Pavlovian response I had to the post was the prospect of Raspberry Pi’s *shipping soon.* I kinda drooled on myself a little there… ;-)

I’m just sayin’…
“Merch”

We call them jetskis or jet bikes I think. Tried one once. Fun. Once.

“Don’t rely on banana-flavour condoms.”

Makes me wonder, is this statement just based on the logo, or … ? :-) (sorry :-))

You’re going to hate me for saying it, but add another reflection above your head and change condommm to War Games…

…it’s the first thing that popped into my head.

I do *not* resemble Matthew Broderick.

No you don’t, but your reflection does! I can’t help myself! I can tell you’re a pretty good sport anyway or I wouldn’t have said it in the first place.

…(Liz tracks down Joe and puts him on the no-buy-list)

Well, I just used Gimp to enhance the photo in question–would love to post it but do not know how. Anyway, I can definitively say that Liz’s reflection does not resemble Matthew Broderick in War Games; he doesn’t wear lipstick at any time in the movie.

Dear Liz,
insted of CE mark (or condom picture) please public the frequency noise measure; this can be more important than other picture.
Thank you
Regards
Stefano

Hi,

Once the boards are in the hands of the distributors then we can all start leaning in them, but when do you estimate that the current batch of 2k will be handed to RS/Farnell and when do you expect the subsequent 8k to go their way.

Thanks.

“Don’t buy this bubble gum, it is really tough and tasteless.”

Oh, but what bubbles

I’d just like to say that the posts on CE compliance and testing along with the others describing the manufacturing and process etc are incredibly useful for those of us (ie: like me) intent on creating an electronic product.

I was unaware that CE compliance was even possible for mere mortals not to mention how mandatory it evidently is if you want to get to market. Evidently (with some help) a significant degree of self certification is possible – eg: If one uses a CE psu and a CE raspi one can produce a CE rated product with minimal expenditure (ie: not the €15000 companies are oft quoted). Now if I can find some mass manufactured boxes (not Maplin boxes thanks) I’ll be happier. Mass manufacturing one yourself is sooo painfully expensive!

Hello Conor, I wish you luck with your venture but it is a common misconception that CE+CE= CE. Products may be compliant from a Safety and EMC perspective on their own but it is possible that they won’t be when assembled together.

This is important and has been alluded to elsewhere (initial non-compliant testing using a short lead IIRC).
I only care that the RPi has passed and that the RPi Foundation & suppliers cared enough and did the work.

@Alan: Thanks – I understand that combining CE compliant products doesn’t automatically give you CE approval but I believe it would make it easier! One might even be able to self certify.

The point is that I was told that CE approval for the small entrepreneur was too expensive so give up now. That’s evidently not the case. You don’t have to get a CE specialist to do the basics although I’m sure they’d like you to :-) There might even be government enterprise agencies who will help or advise.

Having some (peripheral) knowledge of the consumer electronics industry in Europe, I say with some certainty that “CE” marking is one of those things where distributors and manufacturers would rather that you didn’t even mention it – because _nobody_ cares, and almost _nobody_ is CE compliant (except huge companies like Apple or Philips that can’t hope to fly under the radar).
Like most self-certifications, it’s basically a joke and a typical EU bureaucrat folly :-)

Did you fullfill CISPR11/22 (EN 55011/55022) class B limit for radiated emission without a housing? If yes, good job, great result!
Can you publish the details about the performes EMC tests including limits and test levels, as norm/standard IEC/EN 550xx/61000-4-x?
Kind regards and best wishes.

Please verify your sources regarding this so-called “China Export” mark (I hope it’s not Wikipedia), because I believe it to by an urban myth. I’ve been a EU Compliance Engineer for 15 years, and we always joke about the CE Mark on cheap electronics from the far east standing for Chinese Export, but it is just that – a joke. There is no such designated mark in China, and when it does appear on products, it is either because the manufacturer just made a mistake with their spacings on a legitimate product (I see this a LOT), or they are using it fraudulently.

It is not, as you are suggesting, a similar looking legitimate Chinese marking.

By the way, can we have a look at your Declaration of Conformity? :-)

No, but you CAN wait patiently for a Rasberry PI like the rest of us.

I looked around for something with fake CE on it, and I found it on my Sparkfun calipers :-D I use them to show people the difference now.

Actually, it’s my understanding that CE is a self declaration, meaning anyone can mark their product CE without testing, but if their product is found later on to not comply, then they can get fined. Given it’s China, and that I’m sure CE could do nothing to stop them, I’m surprised they don’t just outright use the CE logo.

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