The thing about Linux is that you can get it and play with it as much as you want, for free. If you get something new working, like native support for braille input on a qwerty keyboard or something, you can release it, test it, fix it, release it again, and eventually someone who would use it will do so, like the developers of Vobuntu. This is my understanding; my point is that you do not require permission to code for this stuff, just time and knowledge.
Have a great day, Alex
----- Original Message ----- From: "Tyler Littlefield" <tyler@xxxxxxxxxxxxx To: <programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Date sent: Sun, 22 Feb 2009 17:25:27 -0700 Subject: Re: using breadboards
I've thought about that, but I'm not really sure that I have the
expertees and time to get involved with something like that.
I am not even sure how to begin getting on the dev team.My doubts are pretty high on them just letting some 18 year old
blind dude still in high school code. :)
I know I have a lot to learn, I'm just trying to find out the
best way to learn it.
I'm not even picky about what it is, well to a point, anyway.
----- Original Message ----- From: Ken Perry To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Sunday, February 22, 2009 4:57 PM Subject: RE: using breadboards
I think you again are barking up the wrong tree. So you writeyour own shell. (I have done this ) What then? To make it useful you need applications for it. You will have to write them all. You would be better off getting involved in something like the Google Android operating system or OE Linux at the ground level. If you do something like that you're in on the low level of both devices and software and you can make a large difference. The Android operating system is made for all mobile devices so you could both start from scratch and get the support of a community. The problem is in the past a lot of blind or disability companies have created things from scratch and when you are all done you end up with a device that is so behind the times no one wants to use it. Same goes for software you will spend more time making your shell interact with things that are out there because your users will want to chat with his friend on Msn or print her papers to that usb printer. So look more into getting involved with things like OE Linux or Android or things of that sort and you will learn the same amount your thinking of while making a huge difference.
Ken
From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx[mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Tyler Littlefield
Sent: Sunday, February 22, 2009 5:40 PM To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: Re: using breadboards
I graduate this may, I believe.
Maybe I won't go that route. I'm interested in OS design,
making something work.
I really want to just write a basic shell, though I doubt my OSwill be the next windows on the market, I want to get things working.
I started playing with something, but after I got it to boot upand everything I wasn't able to find a way to test what I wanted to see if it works.
Basically I'm looking for another solution besides just windowsand linux dev. I want to start playing with new technologies learning how things work, making things go bang, etc.
Any other ideas would be great. I won't give up on learning
about circuitry, but it's hardly a career option for me.
----- Original Message -----
From: Ken Perry
To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sunday, February 22, 2009 3:34 PM
Subject: RE: using breadboards
You are looking at the wrong place for making a PDA even ifit was just for you personally. I said 274 for the development board after you design the software on that and decide what components you want for example the 274$ development board I spoke of came with y-fi, 2 usb ports, blue tooth, and some other things like keyboard input which you would have to design. Of course a finished product would not need all of those or it would be a Pac mate. Anyway the thing is you buy one dev board and develop your PDA idea. When you're done you get the company who made the dev board to make you 5000 of them and your off and running with the next Victor stream. Now I am not talking from left field. I would suggest you call Marc at Levelstar and talk to him. He developed the brail plus and Icon hardware and he will be able to explain it much better when I was talking to him the other day he said and I quote, "you may think you want to get into hardware design but you don't believe me you don't." You really need to talk to people already in the industry.
I also know of another device that was a Linux pda that nevermade it to market because it took 6 months to get a bread board working for it because you have to match up the daughter boards and get all the polarities and voltages right and in this case it was a sighted person doing it and he smoked a few components just getting it to work. After that he had to get some kind of software to actually compile and work on it. Why would you want to go through that kind of hell when you can purchase a development board from either Samsung or hell there are lots of companies that you can get atom dev boards from and I am not even sure my $274 is the lowest cost I did see one that was $1000 for a dev board and it was a 4 inch by 3 inch board that was pretty much a laptop in a tiny box. These dev boards come with an operating system that works on them, heck most of them come with both windows CE and Linux so you can choose
Shrug do what you want but the work you will have to put intoa PDA is not worth it. This is the last I will say, without any other questions, because if you want to fight with it more power to you just know you are in for a long hard road to get nowhere and by the time you get there your device will be so far behind the times it won't be worth having. For example if you are planning on making this for more than yourself it costs in around $2000 to $5000 just to get your power supply tested and passed all the regulations. That's just one of the things you will have to do with your own design.
By the way as a side note, Tylor when do you graduate fromHigh school? This has nothing to do with what you're doing I am just interested.
Ken
From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx[mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Tyler Littlefield
Sent: Sunday, February 22, 2009 4:43 PM To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: Re: using breadboards
I figured I was totally scrued up.
It's just something I want to do.
I have an idea for a PDA I would like to build that soundsfun, just my personal little PDA. I could totally customize it, and it would be cheaper than anything I could buy more than likely.
I also want to just learn how these things work. I've often
found them interesting.
I have been digging around for some electronics tutorials,but haven't found all that much that doesn't consist of a ton of pictures, etc etc.
----- Original Message -----
From: The Elf
To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sunday, February 22, 2009 2:34 PM
Subject: Re: using breadboards
lol, odd list to send this to, but I used to do modular
electronics, so your in luck.
firstly, that setup will not do the job, you need to find abasic electronics tutorial and read it, smile, not ragging on you, just the truth.
there are basic principles that you haven't grasped yet.
for a battery charger, you need the 110 volt (wall) plug, atransformer, you need a full wave rectifier (I'll explain in a minute) and you may want some filter capacitors, though there not really needed for a bat charger.
now then, your first mistake is that your setup would haveput wall type current, called AC for alternating current, into resisters and batteries which are DC (direct current) devices , that's a large shocking flam buoy recipe.
number two, you said resisters to bring the current down,yes resisters will drop current, but not in the way you need it to, this kind and type of current step down is done with a transformer (that's why so many things with removable wall plugs have that large box either at the wall end, or in the middle of the cord, the box is mostly the transformer that reduces the voltage and changes the amperage of the wall current.
and without the full or half wave bridge rectifier Imentioned before, your still plugging DC parts into an ac circuit, another flam buoy!
the full wave bridge rectifier I have been mentioning isthe component that changes the AC current coming out of the transformer into DC current for the batteries to charge off of.
here is the correct series of components for a simple power
supply:
1. 110 volt power plug, which you attach to a specific setof contacts on a 110 AC to... (output voltage equals the number of batteries going into the battery holder, times 1.5 volts) so if you have a battery clip for 2 batteries, then its 3 volts, if its four then it's six volts) AC transformer (note here, all the transformer does is change the voltage and amperage of the power, not its type, at this point you still have AC current running through the thing).
3. to the output side of the transformer you attach theinput leads off the full wave bridge rectifier (this is the device that changes the power from AC, to DC so its the same type of current as your batteries).
4. to the output side of the FWBR you can either:
4-1. insert two filter capacitors to screen out noise thecircuitry generates, but this is not needed in a simple charger(*note,! the filter capacitors have to be hooked up the correct way, one end is positive one negative).
or,
4-2. attach your battery holder, making sure you get thepolarity of the wires correct to the battery holder , or your making a loud bang and a lot of stink and a hazard out of your batteries.
another point, this simple setup has no way, like manychargers you buy do now a days, to tell when the batteries are fully charged, and stop trying to charge them, and this will heat up, and eventually give you another ka boom.
the circuitry for a regulator is not to hard, but I can't
pull it out of my head like I can a simple power supply.
that is the basics of a power supply and it will work asa charger. and it will not cost much, but why reinvent the wheel, unless your going to try for some work in the electronics field? which I would not advise, some of the stuff is extremely complex, and some of it quite delicate, and none of it is marked in a method that can be read with our current tech abilities.
laters,
inthane
----- Original Message -----
From: Tyler Littlefield
To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sunday, February 22, 2009 12:06 PM
Subject: using breadboards
Hello,
I'm looking to start using breadboards to create some
small things.
I'd like to start off with something small, possibly a
battery charger or something similar.
I found a small tutorial on instructables, but not
totally sure how to get going.
It explained how things work somewhat, but not accurately
enough for me.
It mainly used pictures to explain, which didn't do me a
whole lot of good.
Any ideas on how I can set this up?
I understand the polarity--hooking one negative end tothe positive etc so that the circuit forms a loop, I'm just not sure how to do what I want.
So, here's my idea.
If I figure out the layout, I can set up a power cable
going from the outlet to the breadboard.
Then I can place in jumpers to bridge the gap.
I can take the 120 volts down to 9 with some resisters(?) and hook a battery pack to the other end that will charge the batteries.
I'm thinking I'm way off, but... ideas would be great.
If I could, I'd like to set it up so it'd charge like 4at once, then I could cut down the 120 to 36. Possibly put in a heat sink to keep it from getting really hot.
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