tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615160292280278140.post3840414485764100660..comments2024-03-28T08:07:01.529-04:00Comments on Hands On - Make: Electronics: Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 - Prep WorkJames Floyd Kelly (Jim)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13876934942928389738noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615160292280278140.post-242687450057500842010-01-23T11:49:34.290-05:002010-01-23T11:49:34.290-05:00I ordered everything online (from the same three s...I ordered everything online (from the same three stores you did) for chapter 2, in advance. But for the components I didn't understand yet, it was hard to sort through the options on mouser.com; for example that PUT thing is listed under "thyristors", and I had to buy something that I only guessed was right.<br /><br />("The Thyristor" sounds like a piece of exercise equipment for robots sold on late night TV infomercials)<br /><br />Also, I found another good source for components: a student-run IEEE store in the basement of the EE department at the local university (Oregon State). You tell the kid behind the counter that you need three thyristors, and he goes digging through some drawers and hands them to you, takes your 75 cents, and writes it down in a notebook. It's cheaper than Radio Shack, you don't end up with wads of little plastic bags to throw away, and they don't try to sell you a cell phone!<br />I bet other universities have stores like this, but they might be hard to find out about.Chris Bogarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08163342331118448067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615160292280278140.post-73078065071067028462010-01-20T20:42:49.875-05:002010-01-20T20:42:49.875-05:00Brian,
Regarding my copy, I'd say it's in...Brian,<br /><br />Regarding my copy, I'd say it's in a condition where a college bookstore would never buy it back... I've written all over it - I take it with me to Radio shack and circle the part numbers I buy... write in the part numbers that aren't in the book... write the date purchased... (I put M for Mouser, RS for RadioShack, etc.) - probably not necessary but it'll help if someone ever asks where I got a component and I can't remember.<br /><br />I agree with your other observation - as a tech writer, I always try to put myself in my reader's shoes. In this case, I am in your shoes! I'm a novice with electronics, too. So it's easy for me to write down the things that confuse me, irritate me... and the things that go right. Especially the Ah-Ha!! moments.<br /><br />Don't worry - at some point you'll likely catch up because as I preview upcoming chapters, I'm seeing an increase in the complexity of the material. Chapter 3 is even titled "Getting Somewhat more Serious" - !!!<br /><br />I'm enjoying this, though... and I hope you (and anyone else following along) are, too. For too long I've watched others put together fun and simple projects and wished I had just an inkling of the experience to tinker and do the same thing... I'm getting a good feeling that this book is putting me on the right path. Not to say it'll answer every question, because I know it won't... but it's giving me confidence in using the breadboard, understanding schematics... and knowing it's okay to smoke a diode/LED or capacitor every now and then.<br /><br />Thanks for writing.<br /><br />JimJames Floyd Kelly (Jim)https://www.blogger.com/profile/13876934942928389738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615160292280278140.post-12067472757483621842010-01-20T20:28:15.408-05:002010-01-20T20:28:15.408-05:00You're going thru the book much faster than I ...You're going thru the book much faster than I can keep up! But it's great to read along with you. Cool to watch you try to understand the same things I'm trying to understand. Expert explainers are great, but sometimes it's nice to not feel like the only one who's having to struggle a little, you know?<br /><br />I have the book thru O'Reilly Safari, so no physical copy. I think for this one, a real book that I could carry around and scribble in would be better. Printing a few pages here and there to take to the workshop is probably more of a psychological hurdle than I'd thought.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03534660003397028937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615160292280278140.post-81029807115027830932010-01-19T22:13:21.480-05:002010-01-19T22:13:21.480-05:00I'd like to hear reader comments too. I can be...I'd like to hear reader comments too. I can be reached if you follow this simple formula:<br /><br />Type my family name with the word "land" appended to it, and use this as the username in a gmail account. I cannot guarantee to answer all emails, but I'll try.Charles Platthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00968751199924367578noreply@blogger.com