This Christmas while I was buying a BOEBOT for my nephew, I saw the Activity Bot and that it was progammed in C. I checked the C tutorials, and based on that I bought one. So it resulted in at least one sale. Then after making progress in the C turtorials, I started reading about Spin (and the different Forths for the propeller), so I bought a Quickstart board that I attach to my desktop and use primarily for Spin and Forth (and probably PASM in the future). So there were 2 sales of props (plus a bunch of sensors/devices/parts) because of the C intro, documentation, and tutorials. :^)
I've scheduled teaching a class in Feb using Prop Activity Board, What's a Microcontroller parts kit and SimpleIDE / C. My classes are for Arlington County (VA) Adult and Community Education so mostly hobbyists, technical sorts, teachers and high school students looking at STEM. I have been doing about 2 sections per year of 8 people each using BoeBot. At this point we do not have enough registrations to run the Prop/C class but I'll be doing some talking during Jan. I will find out soon if the C language might be the link to have programming instructors using C (HS and Community College) send students to me for a C experience with nuts and bolts.
My syllabus will be to port WAM exercises over to Prop/C and supplement with material from C Learning system. I'm sure at some point P'lax will do this at their professional level as WAM is the best intro text & syllabus for micrcontrollers I've found (I've looked at plenty).
Here is the problem for me. The Learn C web pages are built around the Propeller C Quick Learner Kit which is a great combo at a good value. But it is $170. My feedback over last ten years is that students will try something new if material cost is < ~ $80 (like WAM). If I go with the Quick Learner Kit I just won't get enough registrations for the intro course. Prop Activity Board and WAM parts kit keeps me under the $80. With that combo I won't have most of the materials for the devices in the on-line Learn C tutorial. (After first class about half want to continue and have no problem with price. It would be great to have a C Quick Learner kit 1 and kit 2 each at $80).
To answer the question: If my class runs that will be a half dozen Activity Boards bought because of 1) C is available 2) I personally want to get Prop momentum here "inside the beltway" 3) WAM is great and I'll port the activities (not end-of-chapter material). To a lesser extent the Learn C web pages are part of the decision.
Feel free to ask about anything on my courses and logistics.
whiteoxe
Posts: 794
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Tom
BoeBot: https://registration.arlingtonadulted.org/CourseStatus.awp?&course=14WBE581A
PropC: https://registration.arlingtonadulted.org/CourseStatus.awp?&course=14WBE580
My syllabus will be to port WAM exercises over to Prop/C and supplement with material from C Learning system. I'm sure at some point P'lax will do this at their professional level as WAM is the best intro text & syllabus for micrcontrollers I've found (I've looked at plenty).
Here is the problem for me. The Learn C web pages are built around the Propeller C Quick Learner Kit which is a great combo at a good value. But it is $170. My feedback over last ten years is that students will try something new if material cost is < ~ $80 (like WAM). If I go with the Quick Learner Kit I just won't get enough registrations for the intro course. Prop Activity Board and WAM parts kit keeps me under the $80. With that combo I won't have most of the materials for the devices in the on-line Learn C tutorial. (After first class about half want to continue and have no problem with price. It would be great to have a C Quick Learner kit 1 and kit 2 each at $80).
To answer the question: If my class runs that will be a half dozen Activity Boards bought because of 1) C is available 2) I personally want to get Prop momentum here "inside the beltway" 3) WAM is great and I'll port the activities (not end-of-chapter material). To a lesser extent the Learn C web pages are part of the decision.
Feel free to ask about anything on my courses and logistics.