Tim & TMT: Your constant criticism of Parallax is what speaks volumes. Sure, everything can and will be improved over time. It would be nice to hear some constructive words instead of negative ones.
Gee Whiz.
I wish I was a VIP so I could tell people to sit down and shut up.
Just to be clear, in the original post the broken links are from a 3rd party site, not our site. We cannot be responsible for broken links on other sites. That is just not possible. If there are links on our site that are broken we will attempt to fix them as quickly as possible as we are made aware of them.
Yep! We do have some broken links to pages outside of our site, heck we may even have some broken links to pages inside of our site that we don't know about...Thanks for bringing them to our attention.
In the mean time, we'd suggest that you check out what others (above) have suggested like the "Learn" link above ( http://learn.parallax.com/ ) it's right at the top of our homepage. These are designed to get you up-and-going Quickly.
If you're just starting out with the "Propeller", "Quickstarts" is a great place to Start Propellers Quickly .
-MattG
So much for the links.
I go to the learn page and there is much mention of propeller and even a picture of a QuickStart Board but nothing about learning to use the QuickStarts I got on sale at the Shack.
There are for sale all manner of attachments with complete instructions for attaching to a propeller and they all seem to come with pre-written code.
I really would like to learn to use the buttons and light the LEDs on the P8X32A QuickStart UPC# 44890 40000 that I decided to use as my path to learning multi-core programming.
Is it part of Parallax policy to sell new stuff by hiding the directions of use for the older stuff that was still available in the market?
I am not picking on you Matt but I am a bit put out by people that have a problem with my persistent search for learning tools.
The QuickStart is a current and active Parallax product. Go to parallax.com and enter your UPC code or even just the 40000 part and one of the first results will lead you to the product page where there is a link to download demo code for the "buttons and lights".
Just so you know, there's nothing terribly special about the QuickStart. It's just one of many Propeller based boards. I actually built my own board and learned to program it using not much more information than what is included in the downloadable Propeller Tool programming software. And I'm pretty much a newbie when it comes to this kind of stuff.
I really would like to learn to use the buttons and light the LEDs on the P8X32A QuickStart UPC# 44890 40000 that I decided to use as my path to learning multi-core programming.
Is it part of Parallax policy to sell new stuff by hiding the directions of use for the older stuff that was still available in the market?
I am a bit put out by people that have a problem with my persistent search for learning tools.
"persistent search for learning tools" is ok :thumb:
"I wish I was a VIP so I could tell people to sit down and shut up."
... isnot a good way to ask for help from the myriad of Propeller experts here. All of which are volunteers (besides Parallaxians of course). They help thousands of people each year on these forums get "up to speed" on hundreds of products - Many of which are not made by Parallax.
Tim - Within these Forums, you are are surrounded by the most generous/helpful/kind-hearted Propeller Experts in the world. Treat them with respect and they will rally to your side and help get you up and going - on the Propeller, on the BASIC Stamp, or on devices that we don't even have anything to do with. I see it on a daily basis. Try it and see!
This does not mean that anybody will hold your hand the entire time (although sometimes they do!), but I'm confident that if you're persistent and kind - you'll get the help and direction you are looking for.
So, do a "do over" - and let's see if our community is what I say it is.
I go to the learn page and there is much mention of propeller and even a picture of a QuickStart Board but nothing about learning to use the QuickStarts I got on sale at the Shack.
I really would like to learn to use the buttons and light the LEDs on the P8X32A QuickStart UPC# 44890 40000 that I decided to use as my path to learning multi-core programming.
On the http://learn.parallax.com/ page, left side, you'll see an image of a book titled "Microcontroller KickStarts".
Click on the image and it will take you to http://learn.parallax.com/KickStart where you'll find a number of projects - with many of the Propeller-based projects using the Quickstart board.
I thought it would be interesting to see what life is like for a QS newbie so I went to parallax.com and entered "40000 rt" in the search box.
That brought up the part name. So I clicked on the part name hypertext. After looking through the options that gave me, I decided the best choice was to click on Downloads.
Looking through the list of downloads, the QuickStart Board Product Guide seemed the most promising. Clicked on it and started reading.
I got to the part that says "See www.parallax.com/quickstart for a selection of examples using the Propeller QuickStart board..." I entered the URL in my web browser and got: "404 - Not Found"
That surely would be puzzling or antagonizing to a new customer.
I conducted a second search that presumed I didn't know to enter "40000 RT" in the search window. In that case I was conducted to screen after screen of more Parallax items to purchase. If I'd just wanted to get my new QS going and learn a little more about it, that would have been really frustrating!
I doubt the fix to this problem consists of writing more documentation, but rather providing logical access to the wealth of existing documentation.
In a way, it's too bad that the Radio Shack QS packaging makes no mention of learn.parallax.com, nor that the Parallax.com home page makes mention of QuickStart help or QuickStart anything.
Just to be clear, in the original post the broken links are from a 3rd party site, not our site. We cannot be responsible for broken links on other sites. That is just not possible. If there are links on our site that are broken we will attempt to fix them as quickly as possible as we are made aware of them.
Chris,
The links in Post #5 reference the old Parallax Semiconductor website which removed back in April. Any references to Parallax Semiconductor now go to Parallax.com but many of the files that resided on Parallax Semiconductor are not available here for download.
A while back people complained that the Propeller Application Notes were not available after the website transition so all those were recently added.
It would be nice to have the 6 QuickStart Tutorials and the downloadable files that go with them available from the QuickStart product page.
What happened to all the files that resided on Parallax Semiconductor?
This link shows all the Propeller Application notes that used to be on the Parallax Semiconductor page right there on the QuickStart product page. I'm not sure why some members aren't seeing this information. I tried to simulate their actions, but I manage to find the information. This leaves me wondering what we could do to fix the issue. As these notes are not specific to the QuickStart they are under Additional Resources rather than Downloads & Documentation.
Chris, The links in Post #5 reference the old Parallax Semiconductor website which removed back in April. Any references to Parallax Semiconductor now go to Parallax.com but many of the files that resided on Parallax Semiconductor are not available here for download. A while back people complained that the Propeller Application Notes were not available after the website transition so all those were recently added. It would be nice to have the 6 QuickStart Tutorials and the downloadable files that go with them available from the QuickStart product page. What happened to all the files that resided on Parallax Semiconductor?
That website that refers to those links is from the internet archive. We can't control that information. Instead the files were made available on the QuickStart product page (see my previous post). They are there, but for some reason people are not finding them. That is what I am trying to understand so we can correct the issue.
This link shows all the Propeller Application notes that used to be on the Parallax Semiconductor page right there on the QuickStart product page. I'm not sure why some members aren't seeing this information. I tried to simulate their actions, but I manage to find the information. This leaves me wondering what we could do to fix the issue. As these notes are not specific to the QuickStart they are under Additional Resources rather than Downloads & Documentation.
I went back to my comment about having a hard time find the application notes hoping I had included a "last time I looked" phase but darn it, I forgot to leave a weasel phrase. After making the above post, I checked again to see how hard the application notes would be to find and quickly found them on the Propeller chip's documents. I know I made a point of linking to each appnote because I previously had to use the search feature to find them.
I think things are starting to get back to normal but I still think the "downloads" section is sparse compared to the previous version of the website. The search feature helps one find a lot of the documents but you kind of have to know what you're looking for to use it.
I just tried to find the Spin Zone articles but was not able to find them in the downloads or with the search feature.
Going to downloads, and searching "Zone" in the Download Title field brought up the Spin Zone articles for me. I also typed "Spin Zone" into the search field and received the same download as the first search result.
Going to downloads, and searching "Zone" in the Download Title field brought up the Spin Zone articles for me. I also typed "Spin Zone" into the search field and received the same download as the first search result.
What words/fields were you using to search with?
Yep, there it is. I plead temporary blindness. I don't know how I missed it.
This comes up again and again. And rightly so. It's not about broken 3party links (and why do they break, by the way? The answer to that is that it's a symptom of the real problem). Something must be done with how documentation is found on parallax.com. I have just now randomly looked at a few other technical sites, most of them with way more products than Parallax, and their documentation is easy to find.
It's reasonably easy to find Downloads via Support on the front page, but why not make it even clearer, use e.g. 'Design Support' (as e.g. www.atmel.com does).
Then there's the download page. There's nothing there! Only 4 links to 'some of the most popular dowloads'. There's only a search box, and you have to use 'product ID', or 'Download Title', or 'Product Title'. This is not good enough, it's downright discouraging. Instead, please use drop-down menues like Microchip and Texas Instruments, or simply fill up the page as Atmel does. For those three vendors those documentation download pages are super-easy to hit, in one click from the front page. I'm a believer in the PalmOS UI design philosophy: nothing should take more than 3 clicks to get the job done.
On the download page, please get rid of the left column which has nothing to do with downloads. It's confusing. The visitor is on the download page, sees only a search form where a 'Product ID' or some such should be entered. Then there's this nicely lined up list of products and boards on the left.. surely that must be the way to the documentation for each? No, it's a link to the shop! It has nothing to do with the dowloads page. Frames? Really? In 2014? On some of the other vendor pages I linked to there are similar left-column lists, but those lead to actual documentation downloads - not to the products. As it should be.
It's easy to find how it should be done. Just look at other sites. And leave all the documentation in one place, then you'll never have broken links (3party or otherwise) again.
On the download page, please get rid of the left column which has nothing to do with downloads. It's confusing. The visitor is on the download page, sees only a search form where a 'Product ID' or some such should be entered. Then there's this nicely lined up list of products and boards on the left.. surely that must be the way to the documentation for each? No, it's a link to the shop! It has nothing to do with the dowloads page.
I have to agree on this one. Rather than having the product line in the left column, maybe just place a single link to go to the store from the Downloads section.
This link shows all the Propeller Application notes that used to be on the Parallax Semiconductor page right there on the QuickStart product page. I'm not sure why some members aren't seeing this information. I tried to simulate their actions, but I manage to find the information. This leaves me wondering what we could do to fix the issue. As these notes are not specific to the QuickStart they are under Additional Resources rather than Downloads & Documentation.
It is beyond ridiculous that you don't understand what archive.org shows.
Sheesh.
It shows what WAS on the Parallax website. That information isn't there there anymore.
Thank goodness someone else did something to archive it.
I don't understand how much more "clearer" I have to be.
The great thing about Arduino is the plethora of tutorials.
Parallax really needs to fix those broken links.
I'm confused. The broken links aren't on a Parallax website. I don't think that it's the responsibility of Parallax to maintain links on websites that they don't own or manage.
In this case it is "terrible". These tutorials are targeted to the QuickStart board. I have the QuickStart board.
I like having the tutorials.
Thank goodness someone other than Parallax deemed them important enough to archive.
I know I'm getting to this post and thread a couple of days late and a lot of what I'm going to write has already been posted. I've been looking around the Parallax site and there is an incredible amount of information about the quickstart board and the propeller and that includes tutorials on how to program in C as well as a complete schematic and drawings/files for the PC board itself. I do know that a while ago Parallax updated their website (all companies everywhere do that from time to time) a while back. I'm not sure why you think it's the responsibility for Parallax to go to every site worldwide and fix all the links pointing to their site!! If you want to learn about the propeller and quickstart board go to the website that Parallax hosts and maintains and look there for it. Don't forget to look at the OBEX for example code.
If you need help with a particular problem feel free to ask here on the forums or if you have a question that can't get answered on the forum you can call Parallax directly. However don't expect them (or people here on the forum) to hold your hand and slow walk you to a solution. You're going to have to do your own legwork.
I'm confused. The broken links aren't on a Parallax website. I don't think that it's the responsibility of Parallax to maintain links on websites that they don't own or manage.
You ARE confused.
The broken links I am talking about USED to exist on the old Parallax website.
I am doing my own legwork. I am trying to read tutorials that USED to exist.
I know I'm getting to this post and thread a couple of days late and a lot of what I'm going to write has already been posted. I've been looking around the Parallax site and there is an incredible amount of information about the quickstart board and the propeller and that includes tutorials on how to program in C as well as a complete schematic and drawings/files for the PC board itself. I do know that a while ago Parallax updated their website (all companies everywhere do that from time to time) a while back. I'm not sure why you think it's the responsibility for Parallax to go to every site worldwide and fix all the links pointing to their site!! If you want to learn about the propeller and quickstart board go to the website that Parallax hosts and maintains and look there for it. Don't forget to look at the OBEX for example code.
If you need help with a particular problem feel free to ask here on the forums or if you have a question that can't get answered on the forum you can call Parallax directly. However don't expect them (or people here on the forum) to hold your hand and slow walk you to a solution. You're going to have to do your own legwork.
Have you bothered to look at the tutorials that USED to be on the Parallax website???
Tutorials are just that. They are for the beginners. They are my preferred way of learning about a product.
I have a QuickStart board which is not the same as the other boards currently been sold.
I much prefer a tutorial targeted for the QuickStart board.
Once I work through the tutorials then I can branch out.
I stopped reading Application Note AN004 because the QuickStart board does not have the hardware required.
I find on page 5 that It requires a Propeller development board with VGA, PS/2 mouse and keyboard peripherals.
The broken links I am talking about USED to exist on the old Parallax website.
I am doing my own legwork. I am trying to read tutorials that USED to exist.
The links are on a non-Parallax site that pointed to now non-existent pages at Parallax. Not sure what you're upset with Parallax for or want them to do about it. Is Parallax to never change their site because other non-Parallax managed site point to them? Have you tried going to the Parallax site and looked up the quickstart board there? If you scroll down you'll find a wealth of documentation about the board, schematics, pinouts, etc. You can also go to their section on books and buy or download the book that came with the PEK. An amazing resource for learning spin on the propeller. There's also the kickstart book that you can use.
I'm sorry that Parallax removed the guides that you tried to get to from a 3rd party site. Maybe if you sent an email or made a call to Parallx they can make those guides available to you.
Have you bothered to look at the tutorials that USED to be on the Parallax website???
Tutorials are just that. They are for the beginners. They are my preferred way of learning about a product.
I have a QuickStart board which is not the same as the other boards currently been sold.
I much prefer a tutorial targeted for the QuickStart board.
Once I work through the tutorials then I can branch out.
I stopped reading Application Note AN004 because the QuickStart board does not have the hardware required.
I find on page 5 that It requires a Propeller development board with VGA, PS/2 mouse and keyboard peripherals.
To be honest with you if I did look at those guides I only skimmed through them quickly. By the time the they were put up I had been using the propeller for a while. I'm sure that someone from Parallax can/will correct me but the quickstart was originally intended to be used as an engineering sample. Personally I think the lack of breadboard space makes them less then ideal for use by someone new to microcontrollers.
I understand why you would want something taylored to the platform that you have. However if you look at the documentation for the quickstart you'll be able to quickly determine which prop pins are connected to the onboard LEDs. Not hard to adapt the programs in the existing docs to work with your quickstart. If you need those quickstart tutorials that are linked to by a non-Parallax site you might consider reaching out to Parallax and asking them nicely!
What's dumb is that, if all they really wanted were those old tutorials, Jeff provided links to them in post #5 and the code downloads were added by twm47099 in post #12. Problem was solved days ago.
I do think Parallax should re-up the missing documentation somewhere on the new parallax.com and provide links on the QuickStart page. As a matter of fact, I'm surprised it hasn't been done already.
What's dumb is that, if all they really wanted were those old tutorials, Jeff provided links to them in post #5 and the code downloads were added by twm47099 in post #12. Problem was solved days ago.
I do think Parallax should re-up the missing documentation somewhere on the new parallax.com and provide links on the QuickStart page. As a matter of fact, I'm surprised it hasn't been done already.
I've looked at those tutorials earlier today and they look good. I'm surprised they didn't get copied to the new parallax site. Or at least go through them and update them to include simpleIDE.
I have noticed that their learn site doesn't have much related to spin! Although I should mention that the book that comes with the PEK is an excellent intro to spin and the Propeller is available for purchase in book form or a free download as a PDF!
Comments
Gee Whiz.
I wish I was a VIP so I could tell people to sit down and shut up.
So much for the links.
I go to the learn page and there is much mention of propeller and even a picture of a QuickStart Board but nothing about learning to use the QuickStarts I got on sale at the Shack.
There are for sale all manner of attachments with complete instructions for attaching to a propeller and they all seem to come with pre-written code.
I really would like to learn to use the buttons and light the LEDs on the P8X32A QuickStart UPC# 44890 40000 that I decided to use as my path to learning multi-core programming.
Is it part of Parallax policy to sell new stuff by hiding the directions of use for the older stuff that was still available in the market?
I am not picking on you Matt but I am a bit put out by people that have a problem with my persistent search for learning tools.
Tim
All in good time, trooksie. You're just 9841 gripes away from VIP status!
Just so you know, there's nothing terribly special about the QuickStart. It's just one of many Propeller based boards. I actually built my own board and learned to program it using not much more information than what is included in the downloadable Propeller Tool programming software. And I'm pretty much a newbie when it comes to this kind of stuff.
http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php/143250-Basic-Propeller-circuit-on-a-proto-board
... is not a good way to ask for help from the myriad of Propeller experts here. All of which are volunteers (besides Parallaxians of course). They help thousands of people each year on these forums get "up to speed" on hundreds of products - Many of which are not made by Parallax.
Tim - Within these Forums, you are are surrounded by the most generous/helpful/kind-hearted Propeller Experts in the world. Treat them with respect and they will rally to your side and help get you up and going - on the Propeller, on the BASIC Stamp, or on devices that we don't even have anything to do with. I see it on a daily basis. Try it and see!
This does not mean that anybody will hold your hand the entire time (although sometimes they do!), but I'm confident that if you're persistent and kind - you'll get the help and direction you are looking for.
So, do a "do over" - and let's see if our community is what I say it is.
I could be wrong, but maybe not. Let's see.
-MattG
On the http://learn.parallax.com/ page, left side, you'll see an image of a book titled "Microcontroller KickStarts".
Click on the image and it will take you to http://learn.parallax.com/KickStart where you'll find a number of projects - with many of the Propeller-based projects using the Quickstart board.
That brought up the part name. So I clicked on the part name hypertext. After looking through the options that gave me, I decided the best choice was to click on Downloads.
Looking through the list of downloads, the QuickStart Board Product Guide seemed the most promising. Clicked on it and started reading.
I got to the part that says "See www.parallax.com/quickstart for a selection of examples using the Propeller QuickStart board..." I entered the URL in my web browser and got: "404 - Not Found"
That surely would be puzzling or antagonizing to a new customer.
I conducted a second search that presumed I didn't know to enter "40000 RT" in the search window. In that case I was conducted to screen after screen of more Parallax items to purchase. If I'd just wanted to get my new QS going and learn a little more about it, that would have been really frustrating!
I doubt the fix to this problem consists of writing more documentation, but rather providing logical access to the wealth of existing documentation.
In a way, it's too bad that the Radio Shack QS packaging makes no mention of learn.parallax.com, nor that the Parallax.com home page makes mention of QuickStart help or QuickStart anything.
Chris,
The links in Post #5 reference the old Parallax Semiconductor website which removed back in April. Any references to Parallax Semiconductor now go to Parallax.com but many of the files that resided on Parallax Semiconductor are not available here for download.
A while back people complained that the Propeller Application Notes were not available after the website transition so all those were recently added.
It would be nice to have the 6 QuickStart Tutorials and the downloadable files that go with them available from the QuickStart product page.
What happened to all the files that resided on Parallax Semiconductor?
This link shows all the Propeller Application notes that used to be on the Parallax Semiconductor page right there on the QuickStart product page. I'm not sure why some members aren't seeing this information. I tried to simulate their actions, but I manage to find the information. This leaves me wondering what we could do to fix the issue. As these notes are not specific to the QuickStart they are under Additional Resources rather than Downloads & Documentation.
That website that refers to those links is from the internet archive. We can't control that information. Instead the files were made available on the QuickStart product page (see my previous post). They are there, but for some reason people are not finding them. That is what I am trying to understand so we can correct the issue.
I went back to my comment about having a hard time find the application notes hoping I had included a "last time I looked" phase but darn it, I forgot to leave a weasel phrase. After making the above post, I checked again to see how hard the application notes would be to find and quickly found them on the Propeller chip's documents. I know I made a point of linking to each appnote because I previously had to use the search feature to find them.
I think things are starting to get back to normal but I still think the "downloads" section is sparse compared to the previous version of the website. The search feature helps one find a lot of the documents but you kind of have to know what you're looking for to use it.
I just tried to find the Spin Zone articles but was not able to find them in the downloads or with the search feature.
Duane - I entered "spin zone" into the Parallax.com (not Learn) search window...
http://www.parallax.com/search?search_api_views_fulltext=spin+zone
...and it took me to a link for:
http://www.parallax.com/downloads/propeller-spin-zone-articles-and-code
What words/fields were you using to search with?
Listed below the "search" stuff, you'll find the app notes.
Yep, there it is. I plead temporary blindness. I don't know how I missed it.
Thanks,
It's easy to find how it should be done. Just look at other sites. And leave all the documentation in one place, then you'll never have broken links (3party or otherwise) again.
-Tor
NO.
The App notes are NOT the same was what was QuickStart1, QuickStart2, ..., QuickStart6. that are
linked at post # of this thread
http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php/157388-tutorials-for-QuickStart-board?p=1292901&viewfull=1#post1292901
Somenone better get their eyes checked.
It is beyond ridiculous that you don't understand what archive.org shows.
Sheesh.
It shows what WAS on the Parallax website. That information isn't there there anymore.
Thank goodness someone else did something to archive it.
I don't understand how much more "clearer" I have to be.
I'm confused. The broken links aren't on a Parallax website. I don't think that it's the responsibility of Parallax to maintain links on websites that they don't own or manage.
I know I'm getting to this post and thread a couple of days late and a lot of what I'm going to write has already been posted. I've been looking around the Parallax site and there is an incredible amount of information about the quickstart board and the propeller and that includes tutorials on how to program in C as well as a complete schematic and drawings/files for the PC board itself. I do know that a while ago Parallax updated their website (all companies everywhere do that from time to time) a while back. I'm not sure why you think it's the responsibility for Parallax to go to every site worldwide and fix all the links pointing to their site!! If you want to learn about the propeller and quickstart board go to the website that Parallax hosts and maintains and look there for it. Don't forget to look at the OBEX for example code.
If you need help with a particular problem feel free to ask here on the forums or if you have a question that can't get answered on the forum you can call Parallax directly. However don't expect them (or people here on the forum) to hold your hand and slow walk you to a solution. You're going to have to do your own legwork.
You ARE confused.
The broken links I am talking about USED to exist on the old Parallax website.
I am doing my own legwork. I am trying to read tutorials that USED to exist.
Have you bothered to look at the tutorials that USED to be on the Parallax website???
Tutorials are just that. They are for the beginners. They are my preferred way of learning about a product.
I have a QuickStart board which is not the same as the other boards currently been sold.
I much prefer a tutorial targeted for the QuickStart board.
Once I work through the tutorials then I can branch out.
I stopped reading Application Note AN004 because the QuickStart board does not have the hardware required.
I find on page 5 that It requires a Propeller development board with VGA, PS/2 mouse and keyboard peripherals.
The links are on a non-Parallax site that pointed to now non-existent pages at Parallax. Not sure what you're upset with Parallax for or want them to do about it. Is Parallax to never change their site because other non-Parallax managed site point to them? Have you tried going to the Parallax site and looked up the quickstart board there? If you scroll down you'll find a wealth of documentation about the board, schematics, pinouts, etc. You can also go to their section on books and buy or download the book that came with the PEK. An amazing resource for learning spin on the propeller. There's also the kickstart book that you can use.
I'm sorry that Parallax removed the guides that you tried to get to from a 3rd party site. Maybe if you sent an email or made a call to Parallx they can make those guides available to you.
To be honest with you if I did look at those guides I only skimmed through them quickly. By the time the they were put up I had been using the propeller for a while. I'm sure that someone from Parallax can/will correct me but the quickstart was originally intended to be used as an engineering sample. Personally I think the lack of breadboard space makes them less then ideal for use by someone new to microcontrollers.
I understand why you would want something taylored to the platform that you have. However if you look at the documentation for the quickstart you'll be able to quickly determine which prop pins are connected to the onboard LEDs. Not hard to adapt the programs in the existing docs to work with your quickstart. If you need those quickstart tutorials that are linked to by a non-Parallax site you might consider reaching out to Parallax and asking them nicely!
+1. Sugar always works better than vinegar.
Too much testosterone in this thread for my tastes. When you're asking others for help, lose the CAPS and bolds, fellas.
I do think Parallax should re-up the missing documentation somewhere on the new parallax.com and provide links on the QuickStart page. As a matter of fact, I'm surprised it hasn't been done already.
I've looked at those tutorials earlier today and they look good. I'm surprised they didn't get copied to the new parallax site. Or at least go through them and update them to include simpleIDE.
I have noticed that their learn site doesn't have much related to spin! Although I should mention that the book that comes with the PEK is an excellent intro to spin and the Propeller is available for purchase in book form or a free download as a PDF!