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SparkFun Officially Dropping AdaFruit due to CoC Violation

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Re: SparkFun Officially Dropping AdaFruit due to CoC Violation

#21
hi, phil here — post on adafruit here: https://blog.adafruit.com/2026/01/12/discontinuing-the-teens...

i’ll stop back and answer anything (sparkfun will not?).

sparkfun is the exclusive maker and distributor of the closed-source teensy and informed us we will not be able to purchase the teensy. this happened after i sent an email reporting the founder, nate, for multiple harassing actions directed at limor, including behavior by him and a former employee.

instead of addressing that, they decided to kill the messenger, me, and also cut us off from teensy.

so! instead of posting weirdo "code of conduct" letters, we are doing an open-source alternative. so customers are not stranded, and this is not a supply chain emergency for us. looking forward to seeing which one delights customers more.

as much as nate wants to continue trying to damage limor’s business and adafruit by scraping our site, and now potentially not paying royalties owed after more than a decade of consistent payments, that’s nothing new. it’s a business strategy to cut others out, not a mystery or a “private drama.”

this is exactly why we do open source. when a closed product or exclusive channel is used as leverage, the correct response is to remove the leverage.

sparkfun chose to publish a vague public accusation. once you do that, speculation is inevitable.

ask away!

Re: SparkFun Officially Dropping AdaFruit due to CoC Violation

#22

To publish such a vague statement is an obvious invitation for speculation. It seems like rather questionable behaviour itself from spatkfun. The fact that they mention a "private matter" makes me think this is some petty personal grievance that has somehow escalated to this.

What would you have them publish instead? Your curiosity does not overcome the right to privacy of those involved.

It seems like releasing more would have probably broken the exact same rules they are claiming AdaFruit broke.

Re: SparkFun Officially Dropping AdaFruit due to CoC Violation

#23

To publish such a vague statement is an obvious invitation for speculation. It seems like rather questionable behaviour itself from spatkfun. The fact that they mention a "private matter" makes me think this is some petty personal grievance that has somehow escalated to this.

What would you have them publish instead? Your curiosity does not overcome the right to privacy of those involved.

> What would you have them publish instead?

Is there any duty to publish anything? They could release nothing, or nothing with any details, if they have some obligation.

Re: SparkFun Officially Dropping AdaFruit due to CoC Violation

#24

To publish such a vague statement is an obvious invitation for speculation. It seems like rather questionable behaviour itself from spatkfun. The fact that they mention a "private matter" makes me think this is some petty personal grievance that has somehow escalated to this.

What would you have them publish instead? Your curiosity does not overcome the right to privacy of those involved.

[flagged]

Re: SparkFun Officially Dropping AdaFruit due to CoC Violation

#25

To publish such a vague statement is an obvious invitation for speculation. It seems like rather questionable behaviour itself from spatkfun. The fact that they mention a "private matter" makes me think this is some petty personal grievance that has somehow escalated to this.

[dead]

Re: SparkFun Officially Dropping AdaFruit due to CoC Violation

#26
post #2

Obviously given the lack of information (maybe for the best?) there's nothing really to comment on when it comes to the allegations However, I do wonder what this will mean for Adafruit product availability in Europe, as most stores I know of that sell Adafruit products here are Sparkfun distributors.

One of four possible outcomes:

- This blows up in Sparkfun’s face and they lose sales for not having Adafruit so they invite them back. Or Adafruit apologies and comes back.

- Adafruit is forced to become their own distributor and be a Sparkfun.

- Adafruit finds another distributor willing to go to battle with Sparkfun.

- Adafruit is no longer available in Europe.

Re: SparkFun Officially Dropping AdaFruit due to CoC Violation

#27

hi, phil here — post on adafruit here: https://blog.adafruit.com/2026/01/12/discontinuing-the-teens... i’ll stop back and answer anything (sparkfun will not?). sparkfun is the exclusive maker and distributor of the closed-source teensy and informed us we will not be able to purchase the teensy. this happened after i sent an email reporting the founder, nate, for multiple harassing actions directed at limor, including…

Have you also been embargoed from buying shift keys?

Re: SparkFun Officially Dropping AdaFruit due to CoC Violation

#28
post #5

The URL for this page is very generic and bound to become a 404 page. Thinking about URLs is important to prevent link rot.

Sparkfun redid their site a couple years ago and nuked the links to all product pages of retired products too. A shame. I found someone's archive of the old site at one point, but I've since misplaced it.

Re: SparkFun Officially Dropping AdaFruit due to CoC Violation

#29

hi, phil here — post on adafruit here: https://blog.adafruit.com/2026/01/12/discontinuing-the-teens... i’ll stop back and answer anything (sparkfun will not?). sparkfun is the exclusive maker and distributor of the closed-source teensy and informed us we will not be able to purchase the teensy. this happened after i sent an email reporting the founder, nate, for multiple harassing actions directed at limor, including…

[dead]

Re: SparkFun Officially Dropping AdaFruit due to CoC Violation

#30

hi, phil here — post on adafruit here: https://blog.adafruit.com/2026/01/12/discontinuing-the-teens... i’ll stop back and answer anything (sparkfun will not?). sparkfun is the exclusive maker and distributor of the closed-source teensy and informed us we will not be able to purchase the teensy. this happened after i sent an email reporting the founder, nate, for multiple harassing actions directed at limor, including…

No questions. Just move on. Engaging in public spectacle isn't a good look for anyone.
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