Thanks. We have a Basic Stamp I, and it's simple enough, but I'm looking
for something without the distraction of an interpreter in the mix.
Also, it would be nice if the target was cheap enough he felt like he
could start applying it everywhere, even fry a few, and at $30 or $40 a
pop for Stamps, that won't happen (there's other components to buy as
well, before any project is finished). Kits where the programmer has to
be built will slow things down (we have kits waiting to be built...) and
my setup with a serial port programmer and 3 or 4 software pkgs to go
from high level code to programmed binary is added distraction that I'm
trying to eliminate. Lighting LEDs will get old fast, and I'd like to
get him to "ahhhh now I get it, let's build something that controls..."
on an intuitive level as fast and painless as possible, so he doesn't
get discouraged with software incompatibilities, hardware problems, etc.
There'll be enough of that to go around when he starts going after
serious applications. ;)
BTW, he finds robotics interesting, but I don't think that'll be where
he ends up focusing on - it just doesn't seem to be his love.

I saw an article in this Month's Nuts and Volts today, using PicKit2
with its ICSP and pinouts for up to 40 pins. Sounded good - and it was
after I wrote my first note! Perhaps a few questions are in order, based
on the comments so far:

- Are there any known problems or incompatibilities with the PicKit2
programmer and XP and the midrange PICs?

- I've  heard of JAL. If $ were plentiful, I might even go PicBasic Pro,
so it's got to be free/open source compilers. How easy and robust is
JAL? Any comments on GC Basic?

- I am assuming MPLAB drives the PicKit2 fine?

- Is Microchip Direct the best place/price for the genuine PicKit2? They
seem to be backordered. Any other commercial sources?

- He's got some Basic and VB skills, "Hello World" in C, and no assy
exposure. Would you suggest he learn JAL (is it used and complete enough
to be legit?), GC Basic (he could start on things quickly perhaps), C
(which might slow thing down as he tries to learn the architecture, the
PIC AND C at the same time), or assembly (I hope no one says that,
because I know his interest will die halfway through the
documentation... ;)  ?

Thanks again,
Skip


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