I think having access to a computer would make a big difference in being able to learn about microcontrollers.
Some sort of power source is needed both for the computer and the microcontroller.
I think there are many in the world living in extreme poverty that would have a hard time learning about microcontrollers because they lack the above items.
It should be possible to get by without a computer (using a Prop or other uC as a compiler/text editor) but one would need some sort of display and keyboard to enter Programs.
Cats are nice, but Toy/Miniature Poodles are better...
Another big help to learn microcontrollers, is to be a Journeyman Carpenter,
So get out there, and start carrying big heavy lumber thru deep sand, drop it on the slab, cut it up
and lift it up over your head so you can nail it all together. You will like it, it is good for your spine...
and also having a contractors license is important.
I don't know why it's important, it's just what I grew up with and pretty much all I know..
I don't really think having a computer or a power source is a lifestyle, though having or not having either one could definitely affect or constrain a person's lifestyle. Neither are characteristics, skills, or talents a lifestyle. Perhaps a different word was needed in the original question.
Personally I am of a "curious nature". I like to learn new things and will go to extremes to seek information about something I want to learn about - read everything I can get my hands on. Maybe buy 6 different books on the subject. Conduct my own experiments.
And I am persistent. I will work on something, fail, work on it again, fail, work on it again fail, etc. And can keep failing many many times until eventually I am successful. And I go to extremes to learn all about what is causing my project to fail. I read, read, read - and ask other people questions.
Also when researching something, I will stop and take time to learn how to use a research tool or whatever. Like I might read all about google.com search, and from then on be able to search for things better. Thus be able to learn better.
I do better learning on my own - do terrible in school because the lessons are too slow and become boring.
Also if I am driving by or walking by a construction or demolition project, I will stop and watch. It is interesting to note the different types of people who will stop and watch as opposed to those who don't even look.
When I buy a new electrical/electronic gadget, I will figure out how it works, then after I have done that, I will read the instructions! (I frequently don't read the instructions until after I get it working - but sometimes do read them before hand with more complex things.)
As for programmers, I've frequently read about them eating Chinese take-out. I don't know if that is a cause or effect? i.e. I don't know if you were to eat Chinese food if you would suddenly become a good programmer? Having a can of soda pop nearby is another stereotype thing for programmers.
As for the "personal lives" of programmers, It is either/or. But working long hours on a computer is not the best thing for any type of personal relationship.
Having a few teddy bears around is a nice touch, but they tend to waste a lot of time on the internet... mostly looking for grubs an' berries and a good imported beer.
As for programmers, I've frequently read about them eating Chinese take-out. I don't know if that is a cause or effect? i.e. I don't know if you were to eat Chinese food if you would suddenly become a good programmer? Having a can of soda pop nearby is another stereotype thing for programmers.
I don't think Chinese food would cause anything much on a person.
I lived with Chinese food at most times too, that doesn't make me become a perfect programmer suddenly.
I don't think there's a correlation between eating Chinese food and programming, otherwise my wife would be a skilled programmer. Also, it is doubtful that 100% of all the people living in China are programmers.
The key aspect of a programmer's lifestyle is the ability to write hundreds of lines of code without any bugs, but spend hours trying to track down a typo in just a few lines of code. Talking to yourself is helpful. Swearing out loud often relieves the tension. Coffee and/or caffenated sodas are normally required. You must have the desire to dominate a small piece of silicon, no matter how much it resists. You must get gratification from demonstrating your projects to others, even though they have no idea what it's actually doing.
Other than that, programmers are just like eveyone else.
Hmm... I wasn't any good programmer. Still struggling with C++ and Java. Even before and after eating Chinese food.
One thing for people who are really good in the programming, they might have...
...the 'knack' syndrome!
The knack, as in Dilbert:
"I'm afraid your son has the Knack - It's a rare condition characterized by a extreme intuition about all things mechanical and electrical." "He'll be an engineer."
Having a cat hasn't helped my productivity one bit. Browser still struggles with the simplest Spin programming. Heaven knows if he'll ever be ready for PASM.
From wiki -
" A set of behaviors, and the senses of self and belonging which these behaviors represent, are collectively used to define a given lifestyle.
A lifestyle is a characteristic bundle of behaviors that makes sense to both others and oneself in a given time and place, including social relations, consumption, entertainment, and dress. The behaviors and practices within lifestyles are a mixture of habits, conventional ways of doing things, and reasoned actions."
A different way to pose the question might be "What set of behavior and relations advance or contradict learning microcontrolers"
For example, having the obligation of chasing around a three year old all day long contradicts learning how to use microcontrollers, as it tends to pre-empt just about everything. This make a less condusive environment, but one can still do some testing and monitor the forums on a day to day basis. Work usually get done in bursts when the kids are under someone else's care.
AS another example, having a a job where microcontroller applications are developed and maintained can be condusive to learning microcontrolers. However, if the emphasis is solely on "getting units out the door and collecting the money", one will learn only about how bad life can be; "proper function" MUST be viewed as precondition for collecting money, and maintenance MUST be factored in, there must be a contious desion to "do it" or "ignore it"; if you are to have any kind of fun or success.
A third example is to have a mad scientist lab in your basement and do it as a hobby. You have to supply you own motivation and discipline, and pay for all the equipment yourself;, but you get to do what you want at your own pace.
A key element to learning tends to be the volume of "flight time" one puts in, in addition to the degree of familiarity with the current resources. The more you study, and the more you practice the better you get. A lifestyle that promotes practice and study promotes increase in skill and ability.
A most interesting discussion. As former technical instructor, I found myself in the position of sizing people up to determine if they were "right" for the computer repair/networking fields. Granted, I never tossed out a student based on this, but I learned how to hand-pick good potential candidates very quickly.
Portait of J Random Hacker is pretty much dead on the money.
Portait of J Random Hacker is pretty much dead on the money.
T-shirts, jeans
yeah
moustaches are common
Shaved it off the Friday before the Super Bowl, 1999 - after 14 years or so of continuous presence.
hiking boots
yeah
by wearing absurd novelty ties
They aren't absurd. Actually, the ones I wear for work probably don't qualify as novelty - but I often wear one with kites on it. And I still wear the hiking boots with them.
Analog, Scientific American
No more Scientific American since they got rid of the good columns: Mathematical Games and those that followed, Amateur Scientist, etc.
The list starts to fall apart after that and I diverge more and more from it.
Don't drink a bunch, do drugs or hang out at the beach all summer:)... Also, pretty girls have a way of leaching your determination. I get..uhmm, distracted easily if you know what i mean:)
When I have the following list in my possession, I am able to learn effectively:
1) Consistent blocks of time to allocate for focused learning. Usually ~2 hour chunks, 3 times a week works for my family life and learning.
2) Clean place to have my setup accessible. Workbench, desk, etc.
3) Ability to research in relevant data (internet for looking up datasheets, sample code, etc or PDFs in my Nook)
4) Motivation to accomplish something particular rather than just "playing". Staying focused while working on a propeller program is difficult for me because I will figure out something in code, then brainstorm on a tangent as to how I could use that light bulb somewhere else.
5) Background music, B.B. King, Apologetix, Paramore and Aymuray are in my "learning" playlist.
Having an "inside" personality helps. If you're drawn to go outside when it's sunny you may have trouble concentrating on your workbench. Also, if you like to go out and party at all hours it won't leave you much reading and experimenting time.
You have to love making LEDs blink, buzzers buzz, and robots roll around avoiding obstacles. You should think oscilloscopes are sexy. This should be your pr0n:
I have to respectfully disagree with Mr. Good Hair about pretty girls, though. My wife, who I think is very pretty, is supportive of my working with microcontrollers. My workbench is often our dining room table and she never complains.
It's not a lifestyle characteristic, but more a personality/cognitive trait -- being tolerant of failure after failure and the ability to learn from those failures without becoming discouraged nor frustrated (i.e. being open the true nature of experimentation: test, fail, tweak, test, fail, ad nauseum).
Or you could just move to the Gray Pacific Northwet, where nine months out of the year, that's not a problem.
I was tempted to say something snarky like "Then why are there such better programmers in Cupertino than in Redmond?" but that's actually not true. Redmond has a lot of brilliant programmers hampered by less-than-stellar management. Microsoft Research turns out some amazingly impressive stuff.
Edit: I just noticed you typed "Northwet". Was that on purpose or a Freudian typo?
Comments
Some sort of power source is needed both for the computer and the microcontroller.
I think there are many in the world living in extreme poverty that would have a hard time learning about microcontrollers because they lack the above items.
It should be possible to get by without a computer (using a Prop or other uC as a compiler/text editor) but one would need some sort of display and keyboard to enter Programs.
And apparently it is helpful to have a cat.
Duane
I thought he meant something like being straight or gay.
Another big help to learn microcontrollers, is to be a Journeyman Carpenter,
So get out there, and start carrying big heavy lumber thru deep sand, drop it on the slab, cut it up
and lift it up over your head so you can nail it all together. You will like it, it is good for your spine...
and also having a contractors license is important.
I don't know why it's important, it's just what I grew up with and pretty much all I know..
So what exactly did you mean by "lifestyle"??
-Tommy
Hmm... maybe one needs :
1.) Patience
2.) Consistence
and finally, 3.) Willing to learn.
and also I would include a few cans of Hoegaarden or any beers will do.
Lifestyle
And the braincell loss could have been storing the op-code you now need.
And I am persistent. I will work on something, fail, work on it again, fail, work on it again fail, etc. And can keep failing many many times until eventually I am successful. And I go to extremes to learn all about what is causing my project to fail. I read, read, read - and ask other people questions.
Also when researching something, I will stop and take time to learn how to use a research tool or whatever. Like I might read all about google.com search, and from then on be able to search for things better. Thus be able to learn better.
I do better learning on my own - do terrible in school because the lessons are too slow and become boring.
Also if I am driving by or walking by a construction or demolition project, I will stop and watch. It is interesting to note the different types of people who will stop and watch as opposed to those who don't even look.
When I buy a new electrical/electronic gadget, I will figure out how it works, then after I have done that, I will read the instructions! (I frequently don't read the instructions until after I get it working - but sometimes do read them before hand with more complex things.)
As for programmers, I've frequently read about them eating Chinese take-out. I don't know if that is a cause or effect? i.e. I don't know if you were to eat Chinese food if you would suddenly become a good programmer? Having a can of soda pop nearby is another stereotype thing for programmers.
As for the "personal lives" of programmers, It is either/or. But working long hours on a computer is not the best thing for any type of personal relationship.
However, once the dolphins and cuttlefish get their hands on this stuff, all bets are off.
Determination!
and another word
Nuts
You have to know that you can make it work and keep plugging away.
I don't think Chinese food would cause anything much on a person.
I lived with Chinese food at most times too, that doesn't make me become a perfect programmer suddenly.
And did you eat Chinese food first, then become a good programmer?
Or did you become a good programmer, then start eating Chinese food?
And did you eat that in the restaurant or was it take-out?
(See I am curious about this perplexing thing, so asking questions to learn more about it!
P.S. I am also terrible at spelling - a trait which is typical of engineers. (Spell check masks this problem.)
Hmm... I wasn't any good programmer. Still struggling with C++ and Java. Even before and after eating Chinese food.
One thing for people who are really good in the programming, they might have...
...the 'knack' syndrome!
The key aspect of a programmer's lifestyle is the ability to write hundreds of lines of code without any bugs, but spend hours trying to track down a typo in just a few lines of code. Talking to yourself is helpful. Swearing out loud often relieves the tension. Coffee and/or caffenated sodas are normally required. You must have the desire to dominate a small piece of silicon, no matter how much it resists. You must get gratification from demonstrating your projects to others, even though they have no idea what it's actually doing.
Other than that, programmers are just like eveyone else.
A Portrait of J. Random Hacker...
http://www.catb.org/~esr/jargon/html/appendixb.html
The knack, as in Dilbert:
"I'm afraid your son has the Knack - It's a rare condition characterized by a extreme intuition about all things mechanical and electrical." "He'll be an engineer."
-Phil
If I may offer an actual answer:
From wiki -
" A set of behaviors, and the senses of self and belonging which these behaviors represent, are collectively used to define a given lifestyle.
A lifestyle is a characteristic bundle of behaviors that makes sense to both others and oneself in a given time and place, including social relations, consumption, entertainment, and dress. The behaviors and practices within lifestyles are a mixture of habits, conventional ways of doing things, and reasoned actions."
A different way to pose the question might be "What set of behavior and relations advance or contradict learning microcontrolers"
For example, having the obligation of chasing around a three year old all day long contradicts learning how to use microcontrollers, as it tends to pre-empt just about everything. This make a less condusive environment, but one can still do some testing and monitor the forums on a day to day basis. Work usually get done in bursts when the kids are under someone else's care.
AS another example, having a a job where microcontroller applications are developed and maintained can be condusive to learning microcontrolers. However, if the emphasis is solely on "getting units out the door and collecting the money", one will learn only about how bad life can be; "proper function" MUST be viewed as precondition for collecting money, and maintenance MUST be factored in, there must be a contious desion to "do it" or "ignore it"; if you are to have any kind of fun or success.
A third example is to have a mad scientist lab in your basement and do it as a hobby. You have to supply you own motivation and discipline, and pay for all the equipment yourself;, but you get to do what you want at your own pace.
A key element to learning tends to be the volume of "flight time" one puts in, in addition to the degree of familiarity with the current resources. The more you study, and the more you practice the better you get. A lifestyle that promotes practice and study promotes increase in skill and ability.
A most interesting discussion. As former technical instructor, I found myself in the position of sizing people up to determine if they were "right" for the computer repair/networking fields. Granted, I never tossed out a student based on this, but I learned how to hand-pick good potential candidates very quickly.
Portait of J Random Hacker is pretty much dead on the money.
OBC
Shaved it off the Friday before the Super Bowl, 1999 - after 14 years or so of continuous presence.
yeah
They aren't absurd. Actually, the ones I wear for work probably don't qualify as novelty - but I often wear one with kites on it. And I still wear the hiking boots with them.
No more Scientific American since they got rid of the good columns: Mathematical Games and those that followed, Amateur Scientist, etc.
The list starts to fall apart after that and I diverge more and more from it.
1) Consistent blocks of time to allocate for focused learning. Usually ~2 hour chunks, 3 times a week works for my family life and learning.
2) Clean place to have my setup accessible. Workbench, desk, etc.
3) Ability to research in relevant data (internet for looking up datasheets, sample code, etc or PDFs in my Nook)
4) Motivation to accomplish something particular rather than just "playing". Staying focused while working on a propeller program is difficult for me because I will figure out something in code, then brainstorm on a tangent as to how I could use that light bulb somewhere else.
5) Background music, B.B. King, Apologetix, Paramore and Aymuray are in my "learning" playlist.
You have to love making LEDs blink, buzzers buzz, and robots roll around avoiding obstacles. You should think oscilloscopes are sexy. This should be your pr0n:
I have to respectfully disagree with Mr. Good Hair about pretty girls, though. My wife, who I think is very pretty, is supportive of my working with microcontrollers. My workbench is often our dining room table and she never complains.
-Phil
I was tempted to say something snarky like "Then why are there such better programmers in Cupertino than in Redmond?" but that's actually not true. Redmond has a lot of brilliant programmers hampered by less-than-stellar management.
Edit: I just noticed you typed "Northwet". Was that on purpose or a Freudian typo?