>Brandon has a circuit just about ready to go to PCB
>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cump/files/CUMP%28A%29/MB_0.2.0.PNG
>and I'm starting to write the byte code interpreter
>http://www.piclist.com/cump/bytecode
>
>James Newton: PICList.com webmaster, former Admin #3

I've been sitting here on the side of the discussion hoping at some
point I can jump in and contribute something (anything).

I've read three messages that seem to make the best points and all
more or less agree with each other. One was a post Olin made about
having an absolute newbies pic guide, someone else questioning if
we needed "YAPP" and now James mentioning a few more details
about cump.

I think one of the biggest problems someone faces getting started with
pics is not that there is a lack of information but a rather overwhelming
amount of it. I think(know) a lot of people will grab 84's for a few very
simple
reasons. One is they can buy them off the shelf. I live in a town of about 150K
size and the one place had 5 84a's just because he ordered them in himself
to play with and didn't use them. In my case I would have liked to have used
another one like the 628 but I couldn't get them locally or quickly, I had
no idea
what programmer etc would work or existed for it. (ok I actually bought 84' to
drive Brendon's bp up a bit ;-])

Here the thing I searched the pic achieves and read all the programmer
stuff, I
printed out several schematics only to find I would be stuck using just
this pic
or that one. In other words spending money and time and as other have pointed
out outgrowing the thing and starting all over again. I'd rather build one
than buy
one but I'm sure others would want it assembled and tested. I'm sure a few guys
can chirp up with what percentage of sales are kit or assembled programmers.

The more I read the threads, and see the ideas develop my concern is that all
the effort is going to be wasted as the new guys won't be able to know what to
look for or what they are looking at. Ie I still wonder just what the #$% a
boot
loader is ;-]

Olin more or less blurted out, that someone (actually finger was pointed at
me)
to write a faq. I'd be willing to work on it with some help from some of
the people
  who know a bit more about the hardware and software than I do. I think there
needs to be a document that a new person can look at what to start off with
pic, programmer wise. I'm sure there are enough existing options out there
right now that the average person could build or buy and not get stuck if they
knew where or what.

I'm tied up with patent lawyers right now bt I'd like to take a crack at
doing a faq
from a complete newbies aspect. Sort of a non technical first steps guide.
If you
don't think this is worth doing, I'd ask you to think back when the last
time someone
asked "what programer" or "this one didn't work", you might have to go back
a week
on the list. If that same person can look at a chart that guides them into
starting off with
something they can actually use you might find a few more people not having
to ask.
Anyway thats the idea. "Is it worth doing?

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