I really think that new boards should be made with 'standard' 0.1" spacing in between the digital pins and shipped with offset headers to make them compatible with all shields. Then the current 'wrong' spacing can be phased out so we don't have all the problems when making shields.
Who's with me?
Also another comment, could new boards have a component moved in the bottom left and have an extra hole to give it 4 mounting holes. 3 is just a pain and having 4 would not affect anything else.
Just place another set of 8 pin sockets inside the present pins 8 - AREF at the correct 0.1 spacing. Existing shields fit without issue and making homebrew shields is easy.
Just place another set of 8 pin sockets inside the present pins 8 - AREF at the correct 0.1 spacing. Existing shields fit without issue and making homebrew shields is easy.
Exactly, that makes it compatable with both types of spacing and is how the new Seeeduino clones do it:
Ok, yeah sounds like a good plan actually. The only issue then is that if people make new shields like that then you could not just use offset headers to plug them into "old" boards.
it should also be made law that all shields also breakout all available spare pins, whether the shield is stackable or not there is no excuse for covering usable pins.
You really want a law passed? For which country? Would a law be able to keep up with advances and new better ideas?
Why can't you just as a consumer just 'vote' with your wallet for what you want by supporting suppliers that meet your needs and not supporting the ones that don't do what you want?
I was thinking more of a law of physics or similar, universally accepted
There aren't always the products that are quite what you want so you either make it yourself, don't have anything at all or use what is available and ask/hope for change.
don't have anything at all or use what is available and ask/hope for change.
I hear you, but just hang in there. I've been playing with Arduino for just over a year or so and can't believe how many unique ideas, products, projects, etc that I've seen float up.
I don't know if it's being a open source thing or just the right thing at the right time, but the Arduino platform is healthy and growing by leaps and bounds. Hold on tight, I suspect we have not seen anything yet compared to what is on the way.
