Re: gEDA-user: Re: Soldering irons

["Samuel A. Falvo II" <sam.falvo@falvotech.com>]

On Sunday 26 September 2004 04:16 pm, Terry Porter wrote:
> Parts just keeps getting smaller, there is no way I could do these
> parts by hand. They're  only 0.032inch in length!

Thanks for all of your suggestions on how to handle the smaller parts.  I 
like the "one blob of solder, tweezers, fix, then-solder-the-rest" 
method approach the best.  I don't feel comfortable with superglue on 
such small scales.  I've managed to glue my index finger and thumb 
together doing fine detail glue work before -- not fun.  (Well, it WAS 
funny though, but still, not something I'd like to repeat.)

As far as DJ's project, well, using an existing PC, even a new one, down 
in a basement where the temperature is fairly constant, won't cause a 
problem.  Especially if you get one of those Soekris (or similar) PC 
motherboards, where it's optimized for low power consumption.

However, as you are all aware, I'm also interested in making my own 
computer out-right too -- designed to run Forth as its native runtime 
environment, exercising minimalism in as many different areas as I can 
find, yet still being a reasonable computer to play with.  The C64 is my 
primary inspiration, the Amiga being second.  But, I've put that project 
on hold, because I couldn't meet my financial requirements with it (even 
the simplest configuration priced it out of the market of my intended 
audience).

So in the interim, I'm going to be working on something else, admittedly 
without SMTs to start with.  It's a device I call the Typistry, and it 
accepts a PS/2 keyboard connection, and provides a PS/2 keyboard 
connection.  It has two switches on it (one for the keyboard side, one 
for the computer side, and each labeled QWERTY and Dvorak).  You should 
configure the computer-switch to the keyboard mapping it expects: 
normally this will be QWERTY, but some might already have it configured 
for Dvorak.  The keyboard side is what you want to type on at that 
moment.

Why not just reprogram the OS's keymaps?  Because (a) it's not always 
consistent [experience: Windows NT and earlier versions of 2000 made it 
really trivial to change keymaps.  Until you had to *log in* to the 
systme, where it always defaulted to QWERTY, with no exceptions], (b) 
it's not always convenient -- getting Linux to change keymaps is a 
365-step process [or so it seems].  Yes, it can be scripted, but again, 
it is grossly inconvenient when, for example, you're currently inside a 
text editor.  It'd be nice to be able to switch modes via an external 
switch on the fly sometimes -- Dvorak for English prose, QWERTY for 
coding.

I know it sounds like a really silly device, and it is.  But it's also a 
great beginner's project, and hey, I know a fair number of people who 
are definitely interested in purchasing one of these already.  :)

--
Samuel A. Falvo II