From: DJ Vollkasko (DJ_Vollkasko_at_gmx.net)
Date: Thu Nov 27 2003 - 12:42:37 PST
>Date: Wed, 26 Nov 2003 15:41:29 -0500
>From: Victor Rehorst <victor_at_newtontalk.net>
>Subject: Re: [NTLK] [OT] rebuilding macs (was: Will Apple learn?)
>
>Len Cole wrote:
> >
> > What else are you supposed to do with a room full of Macintoshes but
> > building and rebuilding diffeent arrangements of them? :-)
>
>Macs are not LEGO.
>
>Unless...
>
>http://www.theapplecollection.com/design/macreleased/ZackLego.html
>http://lego.apple-juice.co.uk/
Talking Lego (and tweaking this thread a bit back on topic), what I really
like is the Lego Mindstorms kit (http://mindstorms.lego.com). You know - a
toy-like programming interface and beaming finished code to the
Lego-robot's "brain" called RCX. There's even been several ports done to
have different
software development kits (SDK) - see
http://mindstorms.lego.com/eng/community/resources,
http://www.holdren.com/scott/legos,
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Nebula/8488/lego.html,
http://www.noga.de/legOS (Open Source!) and zillions of relevant links here
http://www.idi.ntnu.no/grupper/ai/research/eval/lego_links.html. There's
been extensive reengineering projects and replacement OSes developed for
the RCX. All pretty cool.
But what would be REALLY REALLY blow my mind would be having an intuitive,
graphic Mindstorms SDK on Newton OS 2.x (hmh... NewtStorms(tm) R1.0 maybe?
;=} ).
Highly portable, fully GUI-based + pen-powered programming, plus you
could easily beam finished code to the RCX and store all finished programs
on a Newton (plus you could mail 'em, print 'em, back 'em up, fax 'em, beam
'em to your buddy's Newt...). Also would be nice to use the Newton as
IR-remote, instead of having to buy the one in Lego's Ultimate Acessory Kit.
NewtStorms(tm) Release 2 could provide the user interface with means
for working with keyboards and on eMates, offer a "real" scripting language
and and allow the RCX to "talk back" to Newton - you can attach up to three
sensors of different sorts to the RCX, so let it transmit its sensor
readings to the Newton... Unlimited possibilities! Logging sensor data on
the Newton, writing it into spreadsheet apps, present graphical output of
data (curves, etc.) - and all on-site, all portable, all could be mailed out
(maybe automated, too) for reporting or further processing. All this would
make Mindstorms even much more fun than it already is, and I think it would
be an asset for Newtonia, too.
Considering how CHEAP a MP 120 or 130 is these days, it would be the
perfect extension to a Mindstorms-kit. If you or your kid had this, all
kids on the block would want one, too - a Newton grassroots resurgence from
playrooms all around the World! (My idea about how great it would be if
there were a gameboy emulator for NOS and you could easily port games from
any Gamecard
you legally own goes exactly into the same direction: More users, more
demand for apps + hardware, more future developers, better for the platform!)
Also great: The Lego camera-kit (Vision Command, see
http://mindstorms.lego.com/eng/products/vc), which allows to either make
stop-motion movies or programme a script to trigger processes upon events
recorded by the camera (e.g. send email with frameshot when a white cat -
not a gray one, or a dog or anything else, passes the camera, etc.). The
Camera is USB (Q: Are any PCMCIA USB-adaptors known to work on Newton?),
and the software is PC-only. Obviously this is another thing that would be
MUCH nicer to have slimmed down and on a highly portable device (would
likely need MP2xk for CPU power)...
So, what do you folks think of these ideas - any takers? Anybody perhaps
already working on a graphical RCX-SDK for NOS 2.x?
Much love,
'Kasko
P.S.: I can't really believe nobody but Will Ross, Dylan Stewart
(greetings!) and I ever thought about combining Lego's Mindstorms and
Apple's Newton
(http://marc.theaimsgroup.com/?l=newtontalk&m=104423443821984&w=2
http://marc.theaimsgroup.com/?l=newtontalk&m=104683480330022&w=2me
on! Get yer hands on those keyboards and hack away, so we soon can happily
say "Developing for the Lego RCX? NEWTON DOES IT!(tm)" ;=}
-- This is the NewtonTalk list - http://www.newtontalk.net/ for all inquiries List FAQ/Etiquette/Terms: http://www.newtontalk.net/faq.html Official Newton FAQ: http://www.chuma.org/newton/faq/
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