Any suggested order

kf4mat

I don't know·if this has been brought up before and I can't seem to find any suggestions when I run a search (probably not wording it correctly) so if this is out there already I apologize in advance.

Right now I am working on What's a Microcontroller?, and I have looked at the Stamps in Class flowchart, however what does the majority think is the best order to work through these texts??·I was thinking of doing·Basic Analog and Digital next·and there probably isn't any right answer to that question just wondering what everyone else thought.

Tom

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Jon Williams

You're right: there is no *right* answer -- just depends on what you want to do. Starting with WAM is essential, of course, and you're on track there. Go next where your goals take you; with the solid foundation of WAM beneath you the others will be yours for the taking.

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Jon Williams
Applications Engineer, Parallax

Andy Lindsay (Parallax)

Tom,

One thing we can do is advise you which book(s)/kit(s) to try next based on your goals. What do you want to learn and/or be able to do next? What do you want to learn and/or be able to do in the long run?

By your tentative choice of Basic Analog and Digital, I'm guessing you're interested in delving further into electronics. If so, consider the Understanding Signals kit. The Parallax USB Oscilloscope that comes with that kit is a great tool for learning more about electronics, and it will serve you well in future electronics projects. Aside from being really fun and interesting, the Understanding Signals kit is also a really great value. I'm pretty sure that all you will need to buy is a 555 timer (Stock#: 604-00009, cost $2), and you will have all the parts you need to continue through the activities in Basic Analog and Digital when you're done. If you choose to download the Basic Analog and Digital PDF and work from that, your total cost beyond the Understanding Signals kit will be $2.

Here are some other tips for picking what to do next:

You can download all of the Stamps in Class tutorials from www.parallax.com -> Downloads -> Stamps in Class Tutorials. Before deciding on a text/kit, download the book and look it over.

Check out the Further Investigation section after you finish a given chapter in What’s a Microcontroller. It’s right at the tail end of each chapter. Each topic introduced in What's a Microcontroller is usually covered in more detail in several different Stamps in Class texts. Each text that takes material further does so with a different goal in mind and a different overall emphasis. The Further Investigation sections should help with sorting all that out.

The BASIC Stamp Manual is a good book to have at arm's reach regardless of which text you pick up next. It's also has lots of program and circuit examples that you can try. It's a free download from www.parallax.com -> Downloads -> Documentation.

Regards, Andy

Post Edited (Andy Lindsay (Parallax)) : 10/18/2005 1:40:15 AM GMT