Subject:
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Mindstorms for Dummies
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics.rcx
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Date:
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Mon, 22 Jan 2001 21:04:11 GMT
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Viewed:
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1794 times
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I just got my complimentary copy of Mindstorms for Dummies
and its worth every penny! (They had requested permission to
put pbForth on the CD)
Now, I may be somewhat biased towards the Extreme Mindstorms
book that I helped write, but Mindstorms for Dummies really
does live up to its name.
The book starts out with a description of all the products in
the Mindstorms line, from the Micro Scout to the Scout to the RCX
as well as the add-on kits. There is a brief description of the
types of parts in a Technic kit - beams, pegs, gears, wheels...etc
Then it describes *in words* how to build stuff out of the
constructopedia for each of the kits. There are a few assembly
photos, but not much else. No construction hints, no
discussion on gearing, bracing, LEGO geometry, nothing.
OK, now we're at page 175. Phew, that was hard.
The book then describes the buttons on the Micro Scout and Scout
and goes over some basics that are probably in the manual. The section
on RIS programming isn't much better, with some really basic content.
I just skimmed it, but it looks like they just reworded the
manual.
At page 267, they get into temperature, light, and rotation sensors,
but fail to go into much detail. Finally Gordon's Brick Programmer,
NQC and pbForth are given a page apiece.
The Appendix is largely photos of parts with names like 2x6 perforated
plate, 3 hole thin beam, and axle tip tee.
Normally, I wouldn't take the time to write this kind of review, but
I figured it would save all of the compulsive collector types among us
the $24.99 US they want for this book.
Somewhat disturbing is the note in the author's acknowledgements
thanking "Switzer Communications, the US contacts for the LEGO
Group, who provided much needed support for the book." Previous
books had to put "Unofficial" somewhere on the cover, to indicate
that LEGO did not officially endorse the effort. I can only assume
that either the Dummies folks forgot to get permission, or that
LEGO actually endorsed this....book.
Comments and contrary opinions are welcome....
Cheers,
Ralph Hempel - P.Eng
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Check out pbFORTH for LEGO Mindstorms at:
<http://www.hempeldesigngroup.com/lego/pbForth>
Buy "Extreme Mindstorms: an Advanced Guide to Lego Mindstorms"
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1893115844/hempeldesigngrou>
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Reply to: rhempel at bmts dot com
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Re: Mindstorms for Dummies
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| I got Mindstorms for Dummies sent to me as soon as it was ready from Amazon, since I'm curious what my competition looks like. :) And I kept quiet for a while, but I'm glad you wrote something first, Ralph, because I feel the same way. I was (...) (24 years ago, 6-Feb-01, to lugnet.robotics.rcx, lugnet.books)
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