On Sun, 4 Oct 1998, Tony Duell wrote:
Does it have to be a complete machine, or will an
add-on/interface for a
commercial computer count?
Probably, but it would have to do something really cool! Like allow you
to choose the speed on your blender from a radio-button on your computer
or something.
You mean a calculator with a colour video display and a robot arm doesn't
count? No I didn't homebrew the calculator, but everything else is
mine.... Details available from HPCC if you're mad enough to want to
build one...
Those would definitely count. Good examples.
Seriously, I wasn't thinking of having the
expansion cards in the same
group as totally homebrewed machines (including the CPU). But as a lot of
'classic' homebrewing was interfacing, then it should be included somehow.
Absolutely. Homebrew expansion cards are certainly within the bounds of
the exhibit. But my point is, a homebrew parallel interface card is not
interesting. It would have to be something that you can't just go to the
local computer store to buy in order to capture the imagination of the
viewers.
Perhaps have several categories. The ones off the top
of my head are :
Homebrew CPU - Anything where the CPU is not a standard commercial
chip/machine. Homebuilt CPUs from relays, transistors, TTL, FPGAs, etc
Great idea!
Homebrew microcomputer - Using a standard CPU chip
(any), make a computer
not using standard PCBs. A general purpose machine which can run user
programs, I think, though.
Yes!
Controller - a homebrew embedded control system using
just about anything...
Yes!
Interface - a homebrew expansion card/interface module
for a (classic?)
computer.
Sure!
Homebrew == built from
chips/transistors/relays/valves. Not plugged
together from standard boards...
Yes!
Sam Alternate e-mail: dastar(a)siconic.com
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