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[on:]

How do you explain to your non-techie friends and family you got a mega2560 for christmas without receiving the blankest stare they can produce?

I have found out "it can do anything, including but not limited to blinking an LED" only leaves them more puzzled.

Also hi.

[Reply #1 on:]

Say: "I got a little computer for Christmas. It's not as powerful as Windows, but it doesn't get viruses."

[Reply #2 on:]

Used that last year with Raspberry Pi, won't work the second time.

Would only confirm their suspicions that I'm hoarding little computers.

[Reply #3 on:]

Say: "Ah, the last component I need to complete my world wide weather controller"

Lefty

[Reply #4 on:]

"Ah, the last component I need to complete my world wide weather controller"

That would be a butterfly, no?

[Reply #5 on:]

Used that last year with Raspberry Pi, won't work the second time.

Would only confirm their suspicions that I'm hoarding little computers.

You mean we are not?

Lets see, one Uno, one Raspberry Pi, two Teensy 3.0's, three Digisparks (in a few days)....

[Reply #6 on:]

Lets see, one Uno, one Raspberry Pi, two Teensy 3.0's, three Digisparks (in a few days)....

...and a partridge in pear tree.

[Reply #7 on:]

Used that last year with Raspberry Pi, won't work the second time.

Would only confirm their suspicions that I'm hoarding little computers.

You mean we are not?

Lets see, one Uno, one Raspberry Pi, two Teensy 3.0's, three Digisparks (in a few days)....

That is exactly why I ended up in this place, the Little Computers Hoarders Support Group. First step is to admit I have a problem. Second step is to build something awesome.

[Reply #8 on:]

Ah, but you guys are only hoarding them - I am designing & building them, and it seems like they are multiplying!
I just took boxes of parts  & cards & pieces out of my living room to make space for Christmas, was amazed at how stuff has been accumulating, along with completed cards from prototypes.  Got more parts coming in for the next project already, just waiting on a  DHL delivery from itead studio and LED displays from futurlec. Will be building up a controller board, 2 breakout boards, 28 dual 7-segment display boards to mount around a large picture frame, and ribbon cable to connect it all up.

[Reply #9 on:]

There may be no choice but to embrace the blank stares, and have a little fun with it. A computer geek type, having received the typical blank stares when attempting to answer the question "What is it you do?" took to instead saying, "I rearrange tiny magnetic squiggles on rapidly spinning disks."

We don't typically deal with disks here, so I'll propose the following, perhaps others can improve on it: "I create patterns of electrons trapped in a microscopic grid that in turn allow me to compel other electrons to flow at the time and place of my bidding."

[Reply #10 on:]

How do you explain

A device that allows the liberal arts types to program so they can be invited to a party of the geeky geeks.

[Reply #11 on:]

"I need this thing as a conversation starter with that geeky/artistic girl/guy I met a while back, whom I really like".

Hey CrossRoads,

Get some Really Useful Boxes from office depot and use one box for each project/client and stack them all up to save some space. When clients start sending parts and etc. that's what I do to keep part from different projects from getting mixed up. Toss in an old USB drive or SD card as a code/PCB back up too.

[Reply #12 on:]

They are nice boxes, aren't they!  I've gotten good use out of them.

[Reply #13 on:]

Get some Really Useful Boxes from office depot

Thanks for that. I went out and looked at them, bought 3 (buy 2, get 1 free). One thing about them which makes them less than really useful is that the different sizes don't stack nicely, that is, for a given footprint box, there aren't 2 smaller ones which combine to the same footprint, or a combination of 2 of one size and 1 of another for the same size on top of a larger box. I think I found only 1 instance of 2 boxes with a different height, but the same footprint. Obviously, that wasn't a design goal. (And I didn't try every single box -- the really small ones weren't of interest to me.)

[Reply #14 on:]

How did you get a free box? I am in need for more of those boxes. Are they running a discount?