The "Arduino" has been around for a while now. For those who don't
know, the Arduino is an Atmel microcontroller on a board with an FTDI
USB->RS232 chip and preloaded bootloader. The system also includes
(but is not limited to) host software with which people write very
high-level code called sketches (AKA firmware to the engineers in the
room.)

What function do you see the Arduino serving? It basically seems like
it could be a learning tool and/or a simple means to an end. There is
quite an active group of people using Arduinos here around Boston.

There seem to be a few conflicting feelings I get from the Arduino:

1. I don't know if people are actually learning anything. You seem to
get enthusiasts who know a LOT about the Arduino as a unit, who don't
care that an Arduino is a microcontroller on a board that runs machine
code from flash memory.

2. But: It seems like a lot of people who wouldn't have the background
to get into electronics for whatever reason are able to do really cool
things using the Arduino.

3. However: I wonder if the Make culture steals enthusiasm from
hobbyists who might have become e.g. readers of Circuit Cellar, Nuts
and Volts, CQ, thus replacing their resistors-and-transistors
knowledge with "sparkfun sells a board for that" mentality.

With that said, I don't really care. I'm not planning on getting out
my Luddite pitchfork but I suppose I wonder where the hobbyists are
headed.

-- 
Martin K.
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