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 > _______________________________________________ TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota tclug-list at mn-linux.org http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list