Exactly! I really appreciate that because it is just how I feel. = I've been working with IBM mainframes for about 25 years now and all along = the way, every now and then, something just clicks. = What just clicked for me about electronics is that the learning process is = basically the same. I can explain computer programs in terms of reading an= d writing memory, logical statements, and arithmetic operations. But it is= a very long way from that to writing complex applications. = One big difference is that computers are my profession while I only slightl= y dabble in EE. If it were the other way round I'd probably be good with e= lectronics and struggling with the programming aspect of it. -----Original Message----- From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu [mailto:piclist-bounces@mit.edu] On Behalf Of= David Meiklejohn Sent: 27. kes=E4kuuta 2008 9:44 To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public. Subject: RE: [OT] Apologies to Olin ... Anyway, I read electronics magazines and used to enjoy making things - usually circuits out of those magazines. I knew the basics of what each component did, knew Ohms law, but - that took me only so far. I doubt I would even have gotten to the point that I could design something in any way complex. There was a barrier I couldn't really see past. ... In the few years I had been at university, something had "clicked" for me - I was far more capable than before. Well, one would hope so, I guess! = But I have no idea what "baby steps" had been taken to get from A to B. So - other than doing an EE degree, I don't have an answer. I suspect that it is simply a big step to climb. David Meiklejohn -- = http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist