Thursday, July 14, 2016

Junk Box Arduino - updates in my website

I just updated the website to list Junk Box Arduino. The cover price is $34.99, although as usual from Amazon, you never pay full list. Also, I noticed something in the book. If you buy the hardcopy, which quite a nice book, by the way, you can get the ebook for $5.00.  Full details on the last page of the physical book, or on the website it points you at, which is here: http://www.apress.com/companion. Cool. I didn't know about that.

-JRS

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Remember that technical book I was writing?

So I got an email from my publisher today. My review copies of Junk Box Arduino: Ten Projects in Upcycled Electronics are on the way.  Hokey smokes, I've got a new book in print. :) Apress seems to be spreading the word far and wide too, There are even (allegedly) torrents of it. While that's bread off my table, still, I've never had a project big enough that anyone's stolen it before. I'm back in the saddle, hanging on for the ride.

Of course, this means my part in this project is pretty much done, so I've been tinkering with some new ideas for the next book. Presently leaning toward programmable logic - start with TTLs and work my way up (perhaps) to FPGAs. Here's what I want to be able to do next. I want to build a computer, from scratch. Not from boards sourced in China. I've done that. Not from boards sourced in Oregon, and parts sourced from everywhere and solder. I've done that. I'm still doing that, and it's still fun. But I want to design one myself. I'd like it to have ICs that don't require a microscope to work with, but that's really impossible once we get to the FPGA world. They're creatures of the modern era, and thus, SMD. I don't know how this project is going to look yet, whether it will be a breadboard monstrosity (the current model) or stripboard or perfboard, or even wire-wrap (probably not.).  If I make good on my FPGA threat, it might wind up designed and built inside a single pre-made board, although that smacks of magic again, and I really don't like treating electronics like magic.

Anyway. Book in print good. Review copies coming.  I have a list of people I've promised review copies to, so expect to hear from me soon.

Woohoo!

-JRS

PS: the book link is here: https://www.amazon.com/Junk-Box-Arduino-Projects-Electronics/dp/1484214269




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