Subject:
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Re: RCX & RIS, a fading glory?
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Tue, 28 Jan 2003 21:54:24 GMT
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Original-From:
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Steve Baker <sjbaker1@airmail.netSAYNOTOSPAM>
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Viewed:
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1557 times
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Bluey wrote:
> What's happening to the RIS??
Not a whole lot.
> The last update, 2.0, was not even close to being an update, all there was
> was some updated software, and a new tower. I'm not saying these are not
> good steps, but LEGO's (RIS) progress seems to be slowing to a halt and
> spreading out in opposite directions. Am I being to quick to judge?
No - I think you pretty much nailed it. They needed a new USB tower because
increasing number of PC's don't have serial ports. I'm beginning to believe
that they only did that in order to sell off their inventory of RCX's and
Technics parts.
Lego has headed relentlessly down-market - further from making open-ended
building sets and closer to making complete finished toys with minimal
'assembly required'.
My son had several Xmas presents that sold as complete toys - and which took
longer to assemble than (say) the Lego Basketball set he got.
> So far all I've seen from LEGO is the spybots, the new bionicles, and the
> galidor favoritism wave, all of which do not press the robotic boundaries of
> LEGO.
Spybotics are *mildly* interesting - in that they are programmable and have
quite nice sensors. However, the decision to wrap all of the sensors, motors
and computing apparatus into one honking great brick eliminates a huge number
of interesting application possibilities.
> Is LEGO planing to totally drop RIS and substitute it with the Spybots??? Or
> are they still working on a newer version? This is my question; does anyone
> have any facts to prove either suggestion?
I don't think anyone outside of Lego's own staff will know for sure - because
it's largely a matter of what's in their minds.
I know what I'd *like* to see (a smaller - yet more decentralized - RCX) - and
I can clearly see a trend from RCX through Scout to Microscout to Spybotics that's
heading off in diametrically opposite directions to where I'd like them to go.
Simultaneously, on the mechanical side, we are seeing increasing emphasis on
Roboriders/Bionicles/Galidor/Soccer/Basketball and sets with ever larger and
weirder special-purpose parts...yet other things like Pneumatics (which are
FASCINATING) are being retired. That's also diametrically opposite from what
I'd like to see.
There are *some* glimmers of interest - the 'retro' sets that are appearing are
nice - although anyone who already has 100 lbs plus of Lego is likely to be able
to build such things easily.
It's also nice to see a widening range of brick colours appearing - and some
concessions to people who'd like to buy in bulk. My family bought me 7163
StarWars Republic Gunship - and that was quite a nice set. Lots of pieces,
(mostly useful) and a couple of hours build time.
> Please don't read this as a subject to be challenged, I only want to have an
> answer so I know what to expect.
Personally, I'm not betting on EVER having any more Lego Technics than I have
now or can buy from Ebay in (say) the next year.
It's not like Lego are taking away the Lego we already own. The possibilities
in both hardware and software with just the Lego collection I have now would
take me tens of years to explore fully. That's bad news for Lego Inc - but not
such a disaster for me personally.
Of course if they ever came out with something that attracted my interest again,
then my dollars would follow.
---------------------------- Steve Baker -------------------------
HomeEmail: <sjbaker1@airmail.net> WorkEmail: <sjbaker@link.com>
HomePage : http://www.sjbaker.org
Projects : http://plib.sf.net http://tuxaqfh.sf.net
http://tuxkart.sf.net http://prettypoly.sf.net
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Message has 3 Replies:
 | | Re: RCX & RIS, a fading glory?
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| The only bona fide piece of information I have is the recollection of an off-hand comment made by one of the TLC staff who was at BrickFest last summer who said that if the Spybotics line did not make money, then the future for the Mindstorms line (...) (22 years ago, 29-Jan-03, to lugnet.robotics)
| | | Re: RCX & RIS, a fading glory?
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| In lugnet.robotics, Steve Baker <sjbaker1@airmail.net> writes: [...] (...) I'm certainly getting the backhoe with nine penumatic cylinders available later this year. (URL) out the Technic is not dead! thread (URL) (22 years ago, 29-Jan-03, to lugnet.robotics)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | RCX & RIS, a fading glory?
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| Ok, I haven't been around for a little while and I haven't seen any news at all about this, so I'm going to ask my fellow members: What's happening to the RIS?? The last update, 2.0, was not even close to being an update, all there was was some (...) (22 years ago, 28-Jan-03, to lugnet.robotics, lugnet.robotics.rcx)
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