As mentioned earlier, I received an e-mail confirming my sample order:

From:	 samplesadmin@maxim-ic.com [SMTP:samplesadmin@maxim-ic.com]
Sent:	 12 June 2003 12:13
To:	 [me]
Subject: Your Maxim Samples Request - Order Number: xxxxxx

We have received your samples order.  Your order number for this request is xxxxxx.

You ordered the following samples:

and it goes on to list the parts I ordered, and links to download data, app notes, etc

But I have now received a reply from the UK samples department, and they say that they don't offer samples on the parts I ordered!
So the confirmation e-mail is completely meaningless - they've received the order, but they're just going to totally ignore it!!
If I hadn't chased it, they wouldn't even have contacted me to say why the parts weren't shipping!

Again, I don't know if this is just the UK outfit, or if Americans get the same treatment?