Yes, for a single-use hobby product it doesn't matter much and you can just risk the collision.
And yes, some vendors will generously let you have a Product ID under their Vendor ID, but then your product looks as if it was made by them when your customers plug it in.
If you plan to deploy more than a few devices you'll need a Vendor ID and people should know that there is a relatively large tax in front of that need.
Hard disagree on $6,000 not mattering. We build a small number of devices for severely disabled people and sell a few hundred a year. The USB IF was unwilling to budge at all on their prices and this was a large cost that we did not anticipate, and by the way, is technically shameful.
How much does a fucking number cost?
Well, it depends on how scarce you decide to make it, and of course, what the market will bear.
If you plan to deploy more than a few devices you'll need a Vendor ID and people should know that there is a relatively large tax in front of that need.
Hard disagree on $6,000 not mattering. We build a small number of devices for severely disabled people and sell a few hundred a year. The USB IF was unwilling to budge at all on their prices and this was a large cost that we did not anticipate, and by the way, is technically shameful.
How much does a fucking number cost?
Well, it depends on how scarce you decide to make it, and of course, what the market will bear.