What's cooking on vendor sites?
We asked survey respondents which sites were their favorites, excluding search engines. Several test vendors' sites repeatedly showed up in the responses. Here's a look at what those sites offer and what's on tap for the coming months:
Jeff Goodwin -- Test & Measurement World, 6/1/2003
Agilent Technologies www.agilent.com
BEST FEATURES
- Product information section includes specifications, photos, and pricing.
- Offers assistance with product comparison and selection, as well as technical information on Agilent's products.
- Offers portals with application and product information for specific interest areas, such as wireless communications, aerospace/defense, and metrology.
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
- Focusing on assistance with product selection, and helping customers with pricing, availability, and order tracking.
National Instruments www.ni.com
BEST FEATURES
- NI Developer Zone. Includes application notes, presentations, and example codes that assist with application development.
- LabVIEW Zone. Includes additional interactive features for LabView Software.
- Discussion forums supported by National Instruments' application-engineering department.
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
- Updating the support section of the site to be more interactive and user friendly.
Tektronix www.tektronix.com
BEST FEATURES 
- Product finder, data sheets, and application notes.
- Online product demonstrations and seminars.
- MyTek. Members have additional capabilities, such as: software downloads, local list pricing, order status, service status, and e-mail updates.
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
- Updating services and features, based on research of customer needs.
Teradyne www.teradyne.com
BEST FEATURES
- eKnowledge portal. This password-protected site delivers support information for semiconductor test system users.
- Circuit Board Test and Inspection (CBTI) site.
- Downloadable documentation and software.
- Customers are able to submit requests for service and track progress to completion
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
- Adding sections to the CBTI site focused on industry segments such as automotive, industrial, and medical.
- Adding a new eKnowledge portal that offers Web seminars and Webcasts on technical issues.
- Improving the site's search-engine capability.
