how to find programs

jrualj

i installed basic stamp but i dont see programs to start programing my bobot
like hello word or the rest of training exemples that the book is talking about.what folder is in.?
i got a cd and also download the lates files from parallax. i got BS2 chip version the green one.
look under program files/ parallax but they are not there. there is some other ones but nothing to do with
book exemples. i got windowsxp.
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Mike Green

I thought there was a ZIP archive with the programs from the book, but I can't find it either. You might be able to cut and paste the examples from the Robotics with the BoeBot PDF file.

Steph Lindsay

Hello juralj,

The Boe-Bot Robot Kit is intended for teaching robotics, programming, circuit-building and electronics. It is used by both hobbyists and by many, many schools.

Teachers have found that students learn programming much better when they type in the programs themselves. So, they have asked us not to post the beginning Boe-Bot code as downloads. Because of this, we have never posted the programs in the book as .bs2 files. We only give them to teachers privately, and they are not supposed to redistribute them.

We do post files for some of our more advanced Stamps in Class texts. You can always check our website product pages, any example programs will be posted there.

Thanks much,

Stephanie Lindsay
Technical Editor
Parallax Inc.

SRLM

As a CS student, I've foudn that the best way to learn is to have the programming manual by my side to look up syntax, but to do everything myself. It works for me, and I learn the code.

Andy Lindsay (Parallax)

I'm still learning programming languages, and I always enter code by hand according to the tutorial first.· Then, I modify the code for an application I dream up to make sure I fully understand it (making use of reference manuals/pages like SRLM).·

There are·some·gifted people out there who can actually learn coding·without doing as much work as I·have to do, but·it's not a common trait.· More often than not, the·kids who peruse the code think they·understand it·until they either get stuck on a project or fail·an exam.· Perhaps jrualj is one of those gifted few, but if not, he's in for a surprise soon enough.· If it comes to pass, I hope he makes the connection between "lack of practice" and "stuck on project".

We provide teachers with the completed code as a diagnostic tool that they can use to rule out coding errors while helping·a student·trouble shoot a given activity.· Most of the teachers I've talked with who use·What's a Microcontroller and Robotics with the Boe-Bot in their·introductory classes agree that hand entering the code helps·beginning students improve their understanding of the underlying syntax and concepts.··So we do not make that code available for download on our web site.·

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Andy Lindsay

Education Department
Parallax, Inc.

SRLM

I think it's mostly an ethical problem for your stamps in class series. Since you provide the PDF form of the book, a dishonest student can simply highlight the text and copy it. I suppose that you could make all the code examples images, but that would just force these students to create a file sharing system. What it comes down to is "How much does he want to learn?" Some of my classmates are in college just for the parties, while others are here because they don't know what else to do. I try to stay away from them, and type my own code. Otherwise, what do l learn? Nothing.

Steph Lindsay

You are right SRLM, it does come down to ethics. However, copying and pasting out of the PDF removes some of the formatting, making it easier for a teacher to tell if a student is entirely skipping their work. Even reformatting requires the student to at least look at the code up close. Some teachers also require students to rename the variables, or to add code comments in their own words. It is our hope that the junior high and high school students using our beginner's texts will start by hand-typing the small, simple programs so they will have the confidence to start experimenting and modifying them. Usually, once that "I get it!" lightbulb moment happens, there is no stopping them from experimenting! It is really gratifying to see that happen. Just the same though, once our example programs get very long, and the emphasis is on more advanced topics, we do provide the .bs2 files.

College students are pretty much of an age to decide for themselves whether or not they want to waste their educational dollars by dodging the learning experience. I'm glad for you that you are not a "dodger"!