James Newton in
"RE: [EE]: pic18Fxx picboard (PBK revisited)" wrote:
...
> I was just trying to prevent another round of people spending
> hours and hours working towards something that never gets
> produced, etc...
> I'm hoping that I may piss off some of the people who were
> pushing the PBK to the point that they will get something out
> the door. <GRIN>
...

   Hmm, waiting for the PBK is just like waiting for Godot, only
a bit longer, I'd suggest.
   Interestingly, people want spend hours and hours working
together, sometimes even towards stupid goals just to communicate
with each other. Motivation of communication turned out to be
strong enough to drive folks work fairly hard.
   At that time motivation of saving few bucks on free PCB (from
Olimex), after spending plenty of time working dully alone
appears to be not enough.
   So, maybe something could be done to use both motivation
to communicate and availability of a such great tool as PICList?
   Why not ask people directly with sorta question "What would
be the best idea to support PICList?" Maybe folks will think out
a project that could be interesting enough to have many
members participate in it and at the same time could be
commercially valid to support PICList.

   Personally, I'd suggest a direction "PC-based I/O controller".
Some device or kit with software that could be sold from PICList.
For example:

1. Some PCB with PIC that is to be connected to PC over
(built-in or external) Max232 and RS232 - DB9 and cable.

2. A set of additional application-specific PCBs:
     lamp, motor drivers; input amplifiers etc.

3. A set of software tools to be supplied with this hardware.

   As example a subset of the idea:
  Tools for creating street advertising with all these illuminated
signs.
- PCB with lamp drives;
- PCB with PIC containing bootloader to let the PIC be
     programmed and detached from PC then;
- Excel workbook or something else with number of columns
     equal to number of lamps, say 16 and number of rows
     equal to number of steps of flashing. Worksheet's
     background is dark, customer just sets desired cells to
     desired brightness with mouse, then click "Program"
     button and detaches PC.

   PIC code should be protected, PC code may be open, I think.

   I can create VB or VBA part of the project without any fee,
just out of a respect to PICList. Someone could adapt his
bootloader, someone could develop PCB with drivers. All these
stuff should be get together somewhere in US.

   Is the idea stupid? I need your comments, folks.

   Mike.

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