Subject:
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Re: Spybotics vs Cricket
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Thu, 8 Aug 2002 01:52:01 GMT
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Original-From:
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Steve Baker <SJBAKER1@AIRMAIL.stopspamNET>
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Reply-To:
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SJBAKER1@AIRMAILspamcake.NET
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Viewed:
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1598 times
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Colin White wrote:
> I am somewhat puzzled by the attitude of many people to the Spybots. I think
> we must accept that Lego is losing money and that its main audience is
> children. It must therefore devote its efforts to its main customer base,
> i.e., children.
I think most people understand *why* Lego are heading this way.
That doesn't mean we have to like it though.
> Also, developing software and hardware for Robotics is
> expensive and it is very difficult for a company like Lego to deliver
> products at a cost-effective price. Having said that I have used most of the
> Lego Robot-related products including the Code Pilot, RDS Scout, RCX, DDK
> Micro Scout, Cybermaster, and now the Spybots.
If development costs are the issue then they'd be well advised to come up
with ONE truly modular computing solution and use it everywhere rather
than repeatedly redesigning *everything*.
I'm fairly sure your first explanation is the right one. They obviously
think their target demographic wants something less sophisticate and
more plug-and-play...and (regrettably) they are probably right about that.
It takes a very dedicated parent to help a kid learn to program an RCX - and
the Scout really isn't 'cool' enough for kids in this day and age.
However, for all that I understand why they did it - I don't have to be
happy about it - and I'm not.
Lego computers should be every bit as modular as Lego mechanical parts.
I *desperately* wanted to see a 2x4 brick with a CPU in it, another with
a RAM chip, another with a basic OS ROM, another with a sound synthesiser,
another with an IR comms port - all connected together with a simple plug-and-socket
that would carry some kind of universal data bus and the power to run everything
from a separate battery box. I think this is very do-able with an I2C bus.
Then your motors and sensors would each contain enough minimal electronics
to take set-speed/direction or read-sensor commands from their I2C bus.
You could have LCD panels, buttons, etc as other bricks with the same interface.
This would allow you to have an essentially unlimited number of motors and
sensors, multiple CPU's, multiple IR ports, RAM expansion, etc, etc.
If they'd done that then Spybotics would have simply been a standard set
of computer bricks - plus a special ROM brick that would do all the 'Spy' stuff.
Those people who grow out of the Spy stuff could simply toss the ROM brick
into a parts drawer and plug in an RCX-like ROM from another set and all of
their collection of motors, sensors, CPU's and RAM would still be useful.
This is not unlike buying a StarWars set, playing with it at such for a while
- but then tossing the JarJar Binks minifig and recycling all the other parts
to make...whatever *YOUR* imagination wants.
That's the true spirit that made Lego what it is - they've just temporarily
forgotten that.
----------------------------- Steve Baker -------------------------------
Mail : <sjbaker1@airmail.net> WorkMail: <sjbaker@link.com>
URLs : http://www.sjbaker.org
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Re: Spybotics vs Cricket
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| Steve, If I look at from your angle I think you are quite right. Your comment really applies to the whole Lego line of products. The original concept of lego was to have a set of bricks and use your imagination to construct something from them. (...) (22 years ago, 8-Aug-02, to lugnet.robotics)
| | | Re: Spybotics vs Cricket
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| I can understand wanting to better target the original intended audience, but consider this: Which versions of Trivial Pursuit came out first? The one for adults or the one for children/teens? Mindstorms missed their original intended target, yet (...) (22 years ago, 8-Aug-02, to lugnet.robotics)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: Spybotics vs Cricket
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| I am somewhat puzzled by the attitude of many people to the Spybots. I think we must accept that Lego is losing money and that its main audience is children. It must therefore devote its efforts to its main customer base, i.e., children. Also, (...) (22 years ago, 8-Aug-02, to lugnet.robotics)
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