Christmas Gift

[Halo23]

Hello. I just created this account to ask what anyone thinks would be a decent Christmas gift for my fiance. I know nothing about this stuff. He is not a beginner, but not a pro I don't think. The other day he was showing me a program he was using on his laptop (Linux) that started with an F, to program a breadboard, if thats of any help, lol.
If anyone can recommend something i'd appreciate it.

[CrossRoads]

What kind of projects has he been working on so far?

[CrossRoads]

Perhaps one of the starter kits from www.yourduino.com with lots of goodies to play with.

[Halo23]

What kind of projects has he been working on so far?

He has been working with little breadboards and programming lights to come on with different sounds, stuff like that. Not sure what else. I know he is beyond a starter kit tho. Any general websites i could browse for a gift ?

[MAS3]

A program with a F, and which shows breadboards, is known as Frtizing!.
It isn't the most popular program over here, because it allows users to create terrible, not helpful diagrams.

If he is beyond starter kits, you should try to find out about his interests beyond that.
For some that is robotics, for others lighting, home automation and IoT (Internet of Things, a way to make anything (in your home) connected to the internet) and so on.
There's a lot of possible directions to go from here, and of course he could also opt to go for multiple of those.

[Halo23]

Yes, that was it, Fritzing. Ok, thank you for your help.

[ChrisTenone]

Yes, that was it, Fritzing. Ok, thank you for your help.

While Fritzing is not very popular here (because it does the breadboard view, which can be made to look very confusing and ambiguous) however, in general it is quite popular. Arduino used Fritzing to make the diagrams for their own project books.

A good thing (even folks here will admit) is Fritzing's ability to make real schematic diagrams. Here is a book I recommend (possibly as that gift) that will teach him how to use Fritzing well!

https://www.amazon.com/Fritzing-Inventors-Electronics-Project-Prototype/dp/0071844635

Another good gift is to turn him on to this site!

If you want to be a bit more spendy, how about a set of tools: a good multimeter, a soldering station, hemostats, curved needle-nose pliars, a wire stripper, solder sucker and 'diagonal' nippers. Oh and an Xacto knife with a stash of blades (and band-aids!)

[Mazza99]

Whatever happened to a nice pair of socks

[ChrisTenone]

Whatever happened to a nice pair of socks

I usually get the socks. Believe me, I'd prefer a computer book everytime.

[Muntic0re]

perfume, romantic dinner on the roof, erotic massage etc

[jimLee]

I'd think, if its for a Maker/Geek from a non Maker/Geek sig. other, the non Maker/Geek should go to Adafruit, check out the hundreds of way cool projects there. Find one you want for yourself, buy the parts (they have part lists) and give the package of bits to the Maker/Geek saying. "I want something like this. Can you build one for me?" He/She will be tickled. Much better than trying to take an interest. Use their interest to get something unique you'd like.

-jim lee

[Mazza99]

I usually get the socks. Believe me, I'd prefer a computer book everytime.

Maybe you'll get both

[ChrisTenone]

Maybe you'll get both

Heh. Thanks Mazza. I got impatient and bought a couple books. I do need socks tho ...