(I already sent this out, but I think it got mangled. Apologies if it's a dupe.) >>>>> "Rigby-Jones," == Rigby-Jones, Michael writes: >> Hi! I hope my opinion doesn't make anyone angry, but I don't see >> why anyone builds a programmer. I guess if you are a manufacturer >> and needed to program hundred's of chips you might want build >> something. But with that exception, why not just spend the $200 to >> $2,000 and get a complete working programmer? John Kirk >> >> > Thats fine for people with a few hundred $'s to spend on a hobby > they may be just trying out. The parallel port programmers cost > just a few dollars and do the job perfectly. In fact a 16F84 and a > cheapo homebrew programmer has to be the cheapest way of developing > a microcontroller application ever. I'm rather new to this list and to electronics in general, but I've been a software person for a long time. I don't have much to spend on what is for me a hobby, and as a college student I have essentially no free income. Could anyone point me at a programmer out there that would be a good start? I'm perfectly capable of putting it together from a schematic if neccesary, but I don't think I can design one yet ;) Additionally, if someone could point me toward a PIC assembler and downloader for my preferred environment (Linux), I'd be very grateful. Thanks very much, -Ansel Sermersheim -- GCS/CM/IT d- s+:-- a--- C++++ UL++++>$ V? P+++ L++(++++) E++ W+ N++ w--- M-- PS++ PE Y+ PGP++ t++(*) 5+++ X+ R tv b++++ DI++++ D---(+) G++ e*>++ h!>++ r--- y?