Hi Diane,
I have to say you have not enlightened me in the least. What you have told me is already evident from the Digi-Key order response. What I (and a whole bunch of other people, see the BeagleBoard mailing list) would like to find out is the reason behind this discrimination. Any info?
Best regards,
/Paul
Digi-Key International Sales wrote:
Please calm down, no discrimination (towards Estonia) here. As Jason (jkridner) has explained, Digi-Key is missing some documentation required to export outside US. But it should get solved any day now, so let’s try to be happy and patient! =)
Paul:
Paul Pignon wrote:
Hi Diane,
I have to say you have not enlightened me in the least. What you have
told me is already evident from the Digi-Key order response. What I (and
a whole bunch of other people, see the BeagleBoard mailing list) would
like to find out is the reason behind this discrimination. Any info?
It's almost certainly completely out of Digi-Key's control.
Sometimes the USA (and other countries, of course) will impose restrictions due
to the technical nature of the product. Stuff that's too "high-tech" won't be
made available for export for a while because of "national security" or
commercial protection interests, for example. OMAP's process geometry, clock
speed, MIPS, base materials, etc. could have crossed over some statutory
threshold that puts it on a restricted list.
Other times, it's due to trade situations and has nothing to do with the
technical nature of the part. I once couldn't import some development tools
until I could provide an Affidavit that it didn't contain any DRAMs from South
Korea. Seems like at that time, there was some "dumping" in the market going on.
Unless you're prepared to deal with the headache of filing a grievance with
ITAR, NAFTA, or whatever other agency is involved in the restriction, the
reasons behind it are just idle curiosity. If you've raised awareness with TI
about the situation, that's about the most you can do.
I know this response doesn't enlighten you much either, but I've been there
before and trust me--- the path to this particular enlightenment is probably a
complete waste of everyone's time except TIs.
Someone told me once that laws are a lot like sausages: if you like them, then
you definitely don't want to find out how they're made. 
Nice to see such interest in the part, though.
b.g.
When Apple Computer experienced this export restriction, they made it into a famous sales gimmick - http://youtube.com/watch?v=gzxz3k2zQJI
If the Pentagon is afraid of something that barely fits into a suitcase, imagine their horror with the BeagleBoard!
Bill Mar
Special Computing