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Subject: 
Re: LEGO Purism
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.robotics
Date: 
Thu, 8 Aug 2002 19:53:58 GMT
Viewed: 
1671 times
  
If you were a Lego purist, you'd be using the programming software which was
supplied in the RIS kits.

"The Gaff" <lego-robotics@crynwr.com> wrote in message
news:OE50nHAaaz7EjQxzmWe000001c4@hotmail.com...
Why is everything Lego makes "pure"?

Because my chosen hobby is *LEGO* robotics, a distinct subset of robotics • as
a whole. I am fully aware of the advantages of "opening my mind" to using
non-LEGO elements; I just don't want to. I understand that you feel
differently, but that doesn't make me wrong.

In my sick and twisted mind, it is desirable to work within the • constraints
of a known system. There is a very finite amount of Mindstorms and Technic
stuff that LEGO makes, and it is within my ability to keep up with it all.
When LEGO introduces a new sensor, actuator, or Technic element, I can • find
out, buy some, and incorporate them into my designs right away. I can • build
with confidence that I have at my disposal the full spectrum of parts
available and make the best choices for my project. This lets me build
happily without obsessing about better ways to do it.

If I accepted non-LEGO solutions, I would never be satisfied with my
creations. I would know that there were infinite potential solutions to my
problems, and I would never get anything done because I would spend all of
my time trying to suss out the "perfect" solution. It would bother me
horribly to know that there was better hardware available than what I was
using - and there always would be. Serious robotics is a very, very
expensive hobby. (I am experiencing these exact problems with my car MP3
player project at present, by the way.)

I know - I have personality problems... but that's another topic.

Why not embrace anything and everything which might move the state of • the
art forward?

Because I cannot afford it. If I was going to play with non-LEGO robotics,
there would be accelerometers, gyros, laser ranging, high-speed RF
communication, stereoscopic image processing, shape memory alloys, stepper
motors, servos, solenoids... to say nothing of all the tools I'd need to
machine parts and make them work nicely together. LEGO is plenty expensive
enough on its own.

Issac.




Message has 2 Replies:
  Re: LEGO Purism
 
This purism thing (which I happen to agree with BTW) is a hard thing to pin down. I think of it like this. I like building things with Lego - I *know* that I could do things more easily by machining it from solid metal or casting something or (...) (22 years ago, 9-Aug-02, to lugnet.robotics)
  RE: LEGO Purism
 
(...) This one is interesting. By using the firmware in the brick in a new and interesting way, are we exploiting the power of LEGO? Or are we filing the studs off a 2x4 to make a tile brick? It all depends on your point of view. I see the RCX as a (...) (22 years ago, 9-Aug-02, to lugnet.robotics)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: LEGO Purism
 
(...) Because my chosen hobby is *LEGO* robotics, a distinct subset of robotics as a whole. I am fully aware of the advantages of "opening my mind" to using non-LEGO elements; I just don't want to. I understand that you feel differently, but that (...) (22 years ago, 8-Aug-02, to lugnet.robotics)

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