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The first book on Propeller — Parallax Forums

The first book on Propeller

inakiinaki Posts: 262
edited 2006-03-17 07:29 in Propeller 1
I would bet that someone out·there is already preparing a book about Propeller, something like 'Introduction to Propeller' , 'Taking the most out of Propeller', ...
Any bet about who will be the first author ·?




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Comments

  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2006-03-14 15:34
    Could it be you?
    Then again it is likely to be a collaboration as it seems that the team of 'inside experts' have the advantage.

    Writing such material has a lot of tedious techical demands. Parallax seems fortunate enough to have people that really are diligent proof readers and aware of their audience.

    Whomever it is, February has been very enjoyable. Feels like Christmas is coming.

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    "When all think alike, no one is thinking very much.' - Walter Lippmann (1889-1974)

    ······································································ Warm regards,····· G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse]·黃鶴 ]·in Taiwan
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,395
    edited 2006-03-14 15:38
    Hey Inaki,

    It's a tremendous opportunity for somebody [noparse][[/noparse]who knows the Propeller and can write].

    Ken Gracey
    Parallax, Inc.
  • Jon WilliamsJon Williams Posts: 6,491
    edited 2006-03-14 15:39
    I won't be the first, but I'll certainly be among the group... can you say, PropellerWorks?· Now, before you ask for a release day... don't.· It's just in the talking stages right now and we have a long way to go before I start drafting text.· That said, there were at least two book writers in our offices for Propeller training a few weeks ago and I'm sure they will ultimately provide you with great information to go along with anything we produce internally.

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    Jon Williams
    Applications Engineer, Parallax
  • Charlie JohnsonCharlie Johnson Posts: 147
    edited 2006-03-14 16:17
    Some possible titles....

    Taking flight with the Propeller.
    Winging it with the Propeller.
    How to SPIN a Propeller.

    smile.gif
  • Martin HebelMartin Hebel Posts: 1,239
    edited 2006-03-14 16:34
    OK, I'll fess up.· I have one in the planning, but not so much a "isn't this cool all the the things you can do with it" type.· I teach microcontroller architecture and programming, and I am looking at having the focus of my next course being the propeller.· So... I need a good college level technology text the assumes a good background and is heavy on the theory.

    A·rough table of contents as I mull things over (very rough):

    - Microprocessors, Busing and memory (8085)·- intro to assembler/op-codes, high level languages - compilers/interpreters
    - Microcontroller fundementals - comparison to uP systems. Discuss common flavors and features - 8051, etc
    -·Propeller Architecture
    - Programming in Spin
    - Advanced programming in Spin
    - Propeller Aseembler
    -·Several chapters on the higher level uses- keyboard, TV, etc.

    How this will differ from teaching 8051/AVR, etc as I have done in the past, is that those were centered around the architecture.· 8-12 weeks was spent just covering how to configure counters, timers, etc etc.· Then it finally got into applications.

    With the Propeller, the hardware architecture is actually much simplier, allowing us to move into programming/use so much faster.· Also, I want to focus on those higher level principles much more - how video is generated, etc.

    As such, I have a heck of a lot to learn before I can teach it (in only 6 monts)!· I'm entering into areas I haven't delved, but always wanted to know about (video, etc).· So, it's a win-win situation.· I force myself to learn it to be able to teach it, and the students get something out of it too.· It'll be the 1st time in·7 years I'm just not regergitating the same material.

    Happy to take on a co-author·anyone·is interested in writing at this audience.· It will assume a good electronics/digital background with programming experience in some language.· I'll probably get the rough done by August, then spend another 6 months adding/rewriting sections.

    -Martin


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    Martin Hebel
    Perform an Employer's Survey of Electronic Technologies Graduates· - Click here!
    Personal Links with plenty of BASIC Stamp info
    and SelmaWare Solutions - StampPlot - Graphical Data Acquisition and Control
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2006-03-15 14:43
    Inaki may have the Japanese publishing market sewn up.

    Martin,
    I really look forward to a comparision.
    I do a lot of this independently, but anyone with years of experience must have more insight than me. My study is in bits and pieces.

    Myke Predko did a comparision text of the microcontrollers, but it is out-of-print and currently sells at a 20%+ premium of its orginal price.
    That must mean something.
    I suspect the big manufacturers didn't want the competition clearly shown under the same cover.
    All his individual titles have remained in print, so I suspect he needs their on-going support for revised information.

    Academcially, it is the only way to go.

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    "When all think alike, no one is thinking very much.' - Walter Lippmann (1889-1974)

    ······································································ Warm regards,····· G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse]·黃鶴 ]·in Taiwan
  • Jon WilliamsJon Williams Posts: 6,491
    edited 2006-03-15 14:57
    We actually had our Japanese distributor in the office last week and he is quite keen to introduce the Propeller to Japan, in Japanese. I better brush up... Nihongo-ga totemo sukoshi wakarimasu.

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    Jon Williams
    Applications Engineer, Parallax
  • inakiinaki Posts: 262
    edited 2006-03-15 18:18
    >Inaki may have the Japanese publishing market sewn up.

    Kramer, I don't get your point? :-(

    Are you thinking I am Japanese ?



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  • Martin HebelMartin Hebel Posts: 1,239
    edited 2006-03-16 01:15
    Well, I won't do a lot of comparing, but at least run through some standard HW peripherals for comparison.

    Thanks,
    Martin

    Kramer said...

    Martin,
    I really look forward to a comparision.
    I do a lot of this independently, but anyone with years of experience must have more insight than me. My study is in bits and pieces.
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2006-03-16 16:52
    Inaki,
    Yes, I was thinking you were Japanese. Please forgive me if I have offended you.

    I seemed to have gotten off track with Martin too. This isn't a chat room, so I will shut up.

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    "When all think alike, no one is thinking very much.' - Walter Lippmann (1889-1974)

    ······································································ Warm regards,····· G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse]·黃鶴 ]·in Taiwan
  • Martin HebelMartin Hebel Posts: 1,239
    edited 2006-03-16 17:08
    Hey, this may not be a chat room but I can't let that one go!

    George, where do you feel we crossed paths at? I simply stated I wouldn't be doing a comparison of all the micro's like Predko did (good book, I have it), but to make a general comparison to the garden-variety of HW peripheral uC's. There's so many things that are different about the Pchip it bears comparison so that people see how different and unique it is to the 8051/HC11/AVR/PIC standard fare - no standard 16-bit counter, no UART, a flat memory space, RAM instead of ROM, no return stack, etc.

    I know I can come across as terse, but didn't mean to rub wrong. I very much appreciate your input and feedback.

    -Martin

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    Martin Hebel
    Perform an Employer's Survey of Electronic Technologies Graduates· - Click here!
    Personal Links with plenty of BASIC Stamp info
    and SelmaWare Solutions - StampPlot - Graphical Data Acquisition and Control
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2006-03-17 07:29
    I get a bit silly at times. At other times I think I read too quickly and don't fully comprehend the message.
    You haven't offended me. I just feel that I should slow down and think more about what I am posting.
    When I read my above postings, I just don't think that I added much meaningful content to the thread.

    I do understand that all the peripherals have a legacy of interfacing to the PC. And a complex legacy at that.

    I think IBM tried to make the keyboard nearly impossible to replicate without an EE degree. And the original RS-232 provides so many options [noparse][[/noparse]which mostly go unneeded and unused] that I can only believe that it was all a ruse to scare off begineers.

    So I am sure that you can help to cut through all that fluff. It will really be nice to plug in a keyboard and a monitor to a small microcontroller. Having a mouse is great too.

    The whole thing about RAM is a bit daunting to me as we can actually change the program 'on the fly'.

    The whole comment about comparison really spins off in a different direction, doesn't it? So, don't apologize.
    Warm regards.

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    "When all think alike, no one is thinking very much.' - Walter Lippmann (1889-1974)

    ······································································ Warm regards,····· G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse]·黃鶴 ]·in Taiwan
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