21 Apr
2012
21 Apr
'12
1:02 p.m.
I wonder just
how many extra people 'take off the training wheels' (that
is, take an Arduino and then go further) over and above those who would
get itno electronics/microcontrollers/whatever no matter what.
Indeed, nearly ALL of them that I've met. I do know of a couple that haven't...but most have. It's not as bleak a
picture as you're
painting. Many of these kids have never heard of a 555...and THAT IS
NOT THEIR FAULT. There are chips, tools, techniques, etc that I have
I am not at all convicned it's 'not their fault'. There are plenty of
books,m articles, etc that mention the 555. It's not some secret device.
Personally, I feel youshould read up o na subject before working in it.
never heard of. There are even some that YOU have
never heard of. I
Oh yes, many, many, mant. Problem is, as I've never heard of them, I
can';t tekk you waht they are...
This is one problem with the lack of paper databooks. At one time I'd
read every new datavbook I could get my hands on, just to see what was
aviaalble, Of course I mised some deivevs, I couldn't see all the books,
but...
It's a lot harder, at least for me, to do that on a web page.
know about 555s because I grew up hacking with them,
and I've designed
them into commercial products as recently as 2005.
If you don't like the situation, and think (as I do) that more of
these kids should know about the 555, then put up a web page...present a
One day, I really must learn html...
But more seriosuly, why would they look at such a web page. I can't
believe there aren;'t already web pages about the 555. The data sheet is
certianlly on the web, I've looked at it there.
seminar...do SOMETHING to introduce them to it. In my
experience,
You do relaise that I routinely introduce people to electroncis (my
flavour of electronics), etc, at HPCC meetings...
people like the ones we're discussing would
welcome that with open arms
and boundless gratitude, then you'll see them all building cool things
with 555s.
That's not truye. I use microcontrollers. Perhaps not as much as I should
do, or as much as others do, but I sue them. I have no problem with them
being used when they're the 'right solutuon', for a suitable defintion of
'right'.
As I said in a previous message, what is the 'right device' to use
depends o na lot of things. It depends on what you, the designer, is used
to. If you can calcualtee 555 timer components in your head, and have a
good stock of reissotrs and capacitors, that would push a 555 solution.
If you have an Arduino board on the bench, the devlopment tools on the
PC, and know how to write the code, then that would push that solution.
Whether you're making one unit or a production run matters too. For the
fomrer, design time tends to dominate, for the latter, it's construction
time. So ofr the former, using extra components to get a design that
works canb b the right thing to do. For the latter taking the time to get
it into a microcontrolelr can be the right thing to do too.
What I am really moaning aobut is not people who use microcontrollers
(you wound't find me complainign there's on in a DiskFerret, or that that
there's one in a PS/2 keyboard to soemthing-else interface or...), but
people wh say 'Oh you cna do that with a microcontorller (or an Arduino)
without (a) actually doing it (they might well find there are problems),
and (b) without considering other options at all.
-tony
My guess is that it's small.
Yes, because you're extremely pessimistic and refuse to see anything
even remotely "new" (which microcontrollers most certainly are not) as
being anything other that pure evil. ;)