Finding components and datasheets

Many readers phone and write us with questions about components. Typical questions include: who’s the manufacturer of that IC, and where can I find a datasheet? Unfortunately we can not always help, mainly because of lack of time (who else would look after the magazine?). However, you may not have realized that with an Internet connection available you’ve access to extensive databases covering components and datasheets.Although this month’s subject was covered before on the Electronics On-Line page (see ‘Semiconductor overviews’ in the March 1998 issue) as well as on a datasheet (issue January 1999), some more coverage is apparently in order in view of the many requests we get every day.