Thanks for the list hint!
4,115 karma · joined June 13, 2010
I've always preferred nvi over vim because:
1) there's no lag when I scroll up or down through a file line-by-line,
2) it shows a list of matching files by default when using tab completion in command mode (same as bash), vs picking the first matching filename, and
3) it uses fewer resources when you screw up (http://galexander.org/vim_sucks.html)
I used to think that the lack of syntax highlighting was its biggest weakness, but now that's apparently a virtue :-) .
FWIW, I find the original article easier to read than this SEO guide from Google. Google's guide has so many different methods of highlighting important body text (different combinations of bold, blue/dark blue/red, underlined, and yellow background!), it's difficult to read. Reminds me of amateur desktop publishing back in the 90's.
It's no longer a Windows-only compiler. The standard compiler package includes binaries for OSX and Linux, too. It will even run on ARM if you compile it from source using the appropriate modifiers.
JALv2 is has a PASCAL-like syntax that is easy to learn and allows you to write some very elegant code.
The JAL libraries (jallib) are incredibly extensive, covering virtually every 8-bit PIC made and every possible peripheral function.
Vim supports syntax highlighting for JAL, making it a good text editor to use for writing code. I use Vim on a Raspberry Pi 2 to write and compile my code, then upload it to the PIC using the Pi's GPIO port and Pickle (http://wiki.kewl.org/dokuwiki/projects:pickle). No external programmer is necessary.
I prefer using JAL and one of the USB-capable PICs for my projects instead of an Arduino since I can build the entire project on a breadboard using one chip. I don't need to add a second serial-to-USB converter that's not available in a DIP package, nor require my users to install special serial driver from some unknown third party just to make it work.
It did not work well. Everything had to be just right for it to work properly. If the paint was not a uniform thickness, if there were any old paint drips hanging over the edge of the siding, or if the siding was not laid straight the same width across the wall, it wouldn't shave off the paint evenly.
We found the best tool for the job was a radiant heat gun made from an old toaster oven and a paint scraper. You'd heat the paint until it started to soften, then scrape it off with a putty knife.
Like the parent said, it was difficult work requiring at a minimum a ventilator and gloves, and try the best we could, it was impossible to contain all the paint chips. But I think a few paint dust chips left behind is probably trivial compared to the amount of lead in the soil around our house from decades of cars and trucks going by our home burning leaded gasoline.
[1] https://articles.braintreepayments.com/guides/fraud-tools/ov...
If you're used to bicycling, dress appropriately, and work in a cool environment with a fan, you can produce 50-60 W.
Above that, it becomes difficult to maintain your concentration on your work while trying to pedal hard at the same time.
On most days, I maintain about 35-50 W, depending on the load.
So far this morning, I've ridden for 2 hrs, 5 minutes and produced 74 W-hr. The computer I'm using this morning is a Raspberry Pi2 with a 19" monitor. I'm also powering our DSL modem/router and a 12 V fan while recharging two tablets, four AA batteries, and my phone at the same time.
I've been using a pedal-powered generator to power my computer, phone, tablet, and LED lights for the last 5 years and have tested several laptops and other devices using it. I've found that most laptops draw from 12 W (11" Chromebook) to 25 W (older 15" Dell) when their battery is charged, but 40-60 W when charging. The power supplies of most devices seem to have about a 50% safety factor, so a device that has a normal max power consumption of 50 W will use a 75 W power supply.
I think the best solution is to use pneumatic tires with a Kevlar liner built into the tire casting.
I suspect that's the result of an update in the underlying ChromeOS, but I can't say for sure. Regardless, I think I'll wipe ChrOS off anyway and just put Debian Jessie on it. I don't like to think my setup can be broken by an underlying OS update.
I mostly like the hardware. My biggest gripe is the lack of a delete key on the keyboard, and the placement of the power button just above the backspace key makes it easy to hit inadvertently,
I've never used it, but Microchip's IDE for their C compiler and debugger is cross-platform and will work on Linux/Mac/Windows. I prefer to program them in JAL, a Pascal-like language that is easy to learn that has a large library of functions available. There's syntax highlighting available for it in Vim :-) .
If you're committed to Arduino, there's an open-source project (http:www.pinguino.cc) that has its own Python-based IDE that will take Arduino code, convert it to SDCC C code, compile it to assembly, then flash a Microchip chip.
For instance, our family and parents share 5 phone on 1 plan on Ting. There is a flat $6 monthly fee per device, and our charges are based simply on the amount of minutes and data we use. The rates are cheap (about $0.02 per minute for voice calls). You can use almost whatever Sprint-compatible device you want (we use some cheap Nexus S phones we bought used from a reseller) and can add, remove, or swap devices at anytime through their online interface. If your outside of Sprint's network, voice calls will roam over Verizon's network at no extra cost. You are free to do whatever you want on Wi-Fi at no cost, and there if no charge for tethering, either.
Their customer support has been superb. We've called them a couple of times when we had some issues activating a new device (mostly my mistakes) and someone knowledgeable picked up the phone immediately. No waiting, no transferring between CSRs.
Similar innovations are occurring with other MVNOs like Republic Wireless. Why people are sticking with the majors I don't understand.
It was an operational nightmare.
Picking one order for a customer at a grocery store quickly is hard enough. Two orders requires using two carts and care that you don't mix up the orders. Picking more than two orders at a time is almost impossible, which limits your productivity.
We routinely had customers who would order more than a cart worth of groceries at a time. Offices would order 20 cases of soda pop and several boxes of munchies. Picking, transporting, and delivering these orders often took well over an hours' worth of time each.
If the average customer is ordering once a week, the $2 they receive won't be enough to cover their costs, and they'll have to charge significantly more than shelf price for the groceries if they are to be profitable. But this will discourage customers who believe they are paying an annual fee in return for "free" delivery.
Whenever I am asked to bid on a project, I try to remember the "3X" rule: estimate the amount of time it will take, then multiply by 3. This usually turns out to be a good estimate of how long a project will really take.
1) Microchip's IDE is cross-platform (Linux, OSX, and Windows), while Atmel's IDE is Windows-only.
2) Microchip has a company-sponsored bulletin board on their web site for hobbyists (and professionals) to answer and respond questions. Atmel doesn't (avrfreaks.net is not associated with Atmel).
3) Microchip makes more microcontrollers in DIP architecture, which is useful for hobbyists; e.g., there are at least six Microchip microcontrollers with USB ports in DIP layouts, while Atmel has none.
4) At least Microchip is making claims about being open-source-friendly. I have yet to see Atmel mention open-source in their marketing materials.