Subject:
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Re: An Idea for new Mindstorm
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Fri, 24 Jun 2005 23:55:43 GMT
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Viewed:
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1477 times
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In lugnet.robotics, jp4space@portugalmail.com wrote:
> Citando Alexander Horoshilov <hor@demo.ru>:
>
> In lugnet.robotics, Steve Hassenplug wrote:
> >
> > Sorry if I misunderstood you. But, actually, I was talking about the blue Scout,
> > not the Microscout (from the droid developer kit)
>
> Oh, It may be because of my cumbersome explanation. I do not have DDK and do
> not
> know about that Scout abilities. But I still expect that it is limited to
> some
> built-in programs only. Is it?
>
> > So, what programs do you think TLC should write? And, how much would you pay for a
> > program?
>
> What programs? It is tough question. Classics like line following and walker
> would be a good start.
>
> I personally, think that price of $10-20 for the sotware only would be a fine
> deal. Provided that production costs are about $1-2 per item (it is why SD
> cards
> are not so good - they cost at least $5-10).
>
>
> Personally, I don't agree with factory-made programs. Apart from lowering the
> learning curve (as referred in another message), it deprives us from what I
> think to be the main idea around Mindstorms and programmable LEGO: freedom!
> freedom to create what you want, to add the sensors and the motors you wish
> and, most of all, to control your creations' behaviour!
> Imagine you wanted to create a robot that walked forward with a touch sensor
> attached on the front. When it touched an object it would walk back, spin twice
> and go forward again in the same direction. It's a somewhat "stupid" program...
> But hey!, it's freedom! You want to create a program like this, so you create
> it! Who's gonna stop you? Even if it is a complete non-sense, you have the
> freedom to create it. But do you think TLC would sell a program like this for 10
> $-20$? And even if they did, who would buy it? I wouldn't pay half a dollar for
> it... Because even if i need the program, i'd prefer to program it myself:
> that's the challenge on mindstorms, that's where resides all the fun =) TLC
> would be limiting our freedom to create and to program our robots. And that
> would bring some headaches to a lot of people who want to program their own
> creations...
> Sincerely, I don't think that those "pre-programmed programs" would be very
> popular... But it's a new idea, anyway ;)
> Best regards,
> João Pedro
I have to agree. If you don't want to build programmable robots, why not just
build a motorized model with a motor and battery box.
The whole point of Mindstorms, as I see it, is that you "add" programming to a
structure of Lego elements to make it function in an appropriate manner. What
are the chances that some preprogrammed sequence of instructions are correct for
the mechanical structure you just invented? (It is called Robotics Invention
System.)
I understand there are a proportion of Lego fans who simply build models
according to the set instructions, a very valid thing to do for some of the
really great sets - I do it myself and pop the finished models on my display
shelves - but I don't think Mindstorms is one of those sets. I think it is meant
to be played with, and I think part of playing with Mindstorms is tinkering
around with programming. I think TLG made it easy for kids with their GUI
programming system, and I agree with a post elsewhere on this thread that 12
years old is higher than it needs to be. I know of quite a few younger kids out
there who are at home with the Lego software for Mindstorms.
JB
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: An Idea for new Mindstorm
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| Isn't it a bit of a contradiction to have a person who wants to build robots, but doesn't want to program? A true robot, of the kind we see on this newsgroup, is a harmonious blend of decent programming and decent construction. If you take the (...) (19 years ago, 26-Jun-05, to lugnet.robotics)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: An Idea for new Mindstorm
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| Citando Alexander Horoshilov <hor@demo.ru>: In lugnet.robotics, Steve Hassenplug wrote: > > Sorry if I misunderstood you. But, actually, I was talking about the blue Scout, > not the Microscout (from the droid developer kit) Oh, It may be because of (...) (19 years ago, 24-Jun-05, to lugnet.robotics)
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