I concur.  I just got back into nano processors (my name for micro controllers) recently and am impressed with how easy they are to program and use nowadays.  I purchased the STK-500 starter kit from Digikey (http://www.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail?Ref=33567&Row=301883&Site=US) and have had lots of fun with several projects now.  The Atmel's IDE integrates well with the GNU C compiler, which gives you a good bootstrap into many of the CPUs.  

There is also a very good community site, http://www.avrfreaks.net.

-----Original Message-----
From: tclug-list-bounces at mn-linux.org
[mailto:tclug-list-bounces at mn-linux.org]On Behalf Of Karl Bongers
Sent: Thursday, April 27, 2006 6:16 PM
To: Clayton Smith
Cc: tclug-list at mn-linux.org
Subject: Re: [tclug-list] OT: suggestions on exploring PIC/micochips/etc


Some resources:
Demo kits from manufacturers: search for PIC kit|demo|programming board,
search manufacturers site, search ebay for PIC kits or PIC programmers.
You can find low price demo boards that are for programming/introduction
complete with compilers/tools on cdrom. $25 to $50.

http://www.microchipdirect.com/ProductSearch.aspx?Keywords=DV164101

AVR chips are nice as well, there is a GCC port for these.

http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/tools.asp?family_id=607#808

Go to the library for electronics books and get a breadboard,
see if you can make a LED light up.

Today it is very easy/inexpensive to get into microcontroller programming
with the flash parts.  You can program these with a few wires coming off the
LPT port, but you will be better off buying a programming kit for starters.

Karl.

On Thu, Apr 27, 2006 at 10:27:36PM -0500, Clayton Smith wrote:
> recently I have picked up a slight interest in looking into
> programming for hardware or at least the concept of being able to
> program a USB/LCD device etc... I hate it when people ask these kinds
> of questions ("hey I'm a noob at $x what should I do, what books
> should I read blahblah") but I'm asking anyway since I feel at a loss
> at where to start.
> A few things I think would find most appealing to hear about:
> - a college or local place that offers beginners with hands on
> learning about programming a microchip (or maybe just basic
> electronics) -- or maybe you know a place where I can simply volunteer
> and get some hands on
> - a place that offers an assembly class
> - a good assembly book (I'm going through one right now actually but
> I'm open to more, also, has anyone read Andrew Tanenbaum's Operating
> Systems Design & Implementation, what did you think of it?)
> 
> maybe you are wondering why I have this interest.. well, the past week
> or two I've been reading various books which I suppose leave me a
> little inspired.. they are as follows:
> Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software
> Difference Engine: Charles Babbage And The Quest To Build The First Computer
> Free as in Freedom: Richard Stallman's Crusade for Free Software 	
> Just for Fun: The Story of an Accidental Revolutionary
> Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution
> 
> then some more technical books mixed in that I can have difficulty
> pushing through due to them addressing details before introducing the
> concept or explaining it via the relationships between ideas (etc)
> 
> Clayton
> 
> _______________________________________________
> TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota
> tclug-list at mn-linux.org
> http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list
> 


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