I find that far too many queries from the "developing world," particularly from "Reallyreallybad" in Farawayistan, as you've called it, have learned that if they complain about parts-availability and whine about unenlightened instructors, they can get some of the fellows at 8052.COM to do their homework for them. I suppose my somewhat jaundiced view arises out of the realization that students here are really no different, i.e. they'd like someone else to do their work for them, too. In fact, many professionals, here, are no different in that regard, though they do, indeed want to be given credit for "getting it done."

The solution, viewed from the "west," is not to insist they use the parts easily ordered from the U.S. and then have to pay large penalties in import duty, but, rather, is to recommend equivalent solutions that use parts that they can get, often those that they've themselves already indicated they can obtain/use. In other words, we need to focus on their solution, and not on ours. If they don't specify what parts they intend to use, it would be smart to ask them.

It doesn't hurt to say, "You can do it this way, but it requires these components, or you can do this equivalent thing, which is possible with less-complex, less-integrated, less-costly components you are likely to find in Farawayistan." Sometimes it will not be cheaper to use simpler parts, but availability will not stand in the way getting the job done.

RE