Re: gEDA-user: Free Dog meetings at MIT starting this September!

[Karel Kulhavý <clock@twibright.com>]

On Sat, Aug 21, 2004 at 05:09:36PM -0700, falvotech01@netnation.com wrote:
> Quoting Karel Kulhavý <clock@twibright.com>:
> 
> > It doesn't matter - someone has reported building Ronja without any
> > prior experience with soldering and electronics at all!
> 
> Fine.  But what if they want to make modifications?  What then?

They will just have to google up how the thing called "electronics" work.

> 
> > I didn't have for those, but for ZX Spectrum ;-]
> 
> Same basic idea.
> 
> > And isn't it possible to buy a reasonable CPU today? I can still get 6MHz
> > Z80 for abou 3 USD in a retail store here in my city. In the worst case,
> > you can write your own into a FPGA.
> 
> Pfft.  Get yourself a 16MHz 65816 for $5.75 -- more memory, faster, and ...
> well, just plain better.  :-)

I don't know that one. What's the complete part number? The manufacturer?
I would like to look at the datasheet.


> 
> (Not to ignite the whole Z80-vs-6502/65816 argument again...but I couldn't resist.)
> 
> Still, 6MHz.  Woohoo.  How about those $22 400MHz, MIPS-IV, dual-issue
> superscalar CPUs including 64-bit integer unit, FPU, and MMU? 

Where can I buy one piece of this one in Prague? I would be genuinely
interested :)

> Yeah, you can get
> them -- in single quantities too.  Problem is, they're surface mount, and
> require some awfully nice dexterity to solder them.  I was planning on using one

It doesn't matter - you have to give up on thru-hole on modern CPU's anyway :)

> in a variation of the Kestrel project I was working on.
> 
> ARMs are nice too.
> 
> Still, this is besides the point.  The issue isn't being able to just slap stuff
> together.  The issue is finding the *theory*, written in a clear and concise
> format, that lets average lay-people understand what the heck it is they're
> building, and how the thing really works on the inside.

What theory? They just read the datasheet what the part does and the rest is up
on their imagination what they construct with it, isn't it?

> 
> Anyone can go and purchase a Ramsey radio kit.  And, it IS fun.  But does that
> kit tell you how radio works?  Does that kit tell you why its circuit works? 
> Having built a few Ramsey's myself, I can safely say, "No."  Contrast with
> Heathkit, however...
> 
> > I just wanted to say that when you work for some big company you
> > are creating some work, nevertheless the work is of no use for the
> > public (just for the company).
> 
> Oh, that made much more sense.  :-)

Cl<