21-Aug-2003  
The Oshon PIC Simulator IDE is powerful application that supplies PIC
developers with user-friendly graphical development environment for
Windows with integrated simulator (emulator), BASIC compiler, assembler,
disassembler and debugger. 
http://www.dontronics.com/oshonsoft_pic.html 

-- 
Don McKenzie  E-mail:    http://www.dontronics.com/e-mail.html
              Home Page: http://www.dontronics.com

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I just wanted to let everyone know about some of the stuff that has 
happened to me in the last little while.  

I spent the last 2 years working 60-90 hours a week as a sys-admin 
for a gaming company and dreading every morning.  It just wasn't as 
satisfying for me as it had been when I began, and the pay didn't 
quite match up with the hours worked (can anyone say `salary').

Anyway, the point is I found something called Global Online Systems 
which allowed me to start building a business on the side part-
time.  After 6 months working part-time I was able to leave my job 
and now I'm home and loving it.  Can't beat taking XBox breaks 
whenever I want!

If you're interested, you can check them out at 
www.GraspOn2dreams.com/?refid=xb77
Or you can call them at 1-888-233-0385 and they'll have someone call 
you.

Hope this helps someone, 

Shawn Carson

Find your match from tens of thousands single millionaires here! You 
don't have to be a millionaire, but you can meet successful ladies 
and gentlemen and enjoy excellent service.

http://www.MillionaireMatch.com/i/17

pqpqpqq2071@y... member removed

Don...

Hello all.
I'm just here, making sure that a 'real'
post can make it.

I recently (12/20/2002) was introduced to the
Basic Stamp (BS2) processor, via the TAB 
'sumobot' robot in a box package.  This has 
started a long journey (well, it seems long
to me, but It's really only 8 months or so)
into Stamps, Basic Atom, then PIC's,
then AVR's, and now SimmSticks.

This forum doesn't seem very active, and most
activity on it seems to be spam, but I still
like the simmstick form factor.  

Can anyone recommend a minimal system, which
would support a PICStik, AVR Stik, perhaps
some additional SRAM, perhaps a few 232 
drivers, and cost under $400.00 USD?

I would plug either the PIC or AVR into the 
bus -- not both at the same time.  I'd like
the additional SRAM (or EEPROM, why not) for
use as buffer memory, or a log memory.

I'd expect to need a 'backplane', DC power,
some way of enclosing the beast, and connecting
I/O from the boards to the enclosure.

One of my biggest problems as an engineer has 
always been making a pretty enclosure.  I can 
build the nicest hardware, put very efficient
software into it, but if the result looks like
spaghetti wrapped around a cracker I get no 
credit for it.  So are there any recommendations
for enclosures, as well?

Thanks for all your help.  AllanL.

> Can anyone recommend a minimal system, which
> would support a PICStik, AVR Stik, perhaps
> some additional SRAM, perhaps a few 232 
> drivers, and cost under $400.00 USD?

If you have that much, you could get a JStik
complete with SimmStick powered backplane and
development tools! And it's programmed in Java
(the controller runs Java bytecodes natively).

4 meg flash, 2 meg RAM! Ethernet!

Essentially all you need for a good robot.

http://www.jstik.com/

Systronix (the company above), also makes a JCX
system which is similar but is based on the
JStamp which is a bit slower and has only
512k flash/512k RAM and no ethernet.

> I would plug either the PIC or AVR into the 
> bus -- not both at the same time.  I'd like
> the additional SRAM (or EEPROM, why not) for
> use as buffer memory, or a log memory.

It should be easy to make a board that uses some
sort of non-volitile memory that talks either
SPI or I2C.

> I'd expect to need a 'backplane', DC power,
> some way of enclosing the beast, and connecting
> I/O from the boards to the enclosure.

OK, the JStik doesn't come with an enclosure.
However Radio Shack sells cheap enclosures.

> One of my biggest problems as an engineer has 
> always been making a pretty enclosure.  I can 
> build the nicest hardware, put very efficient
> software into it, but if the result looks like
> spaghetti wrapped around a cracker I get no 
> credit for it.  So are there any recommendations
> for enclosures, as well?

I don't know. Without all the wires hanging out
in the open, people might think I *bought* my robot!

> Thanks for all your help.  AllanL.

I hope this helps.
-- 
D. Jay Newman           ! 
jay@s...     ! Xander: Giles, don't make cave-slayer unhappy.
http://enerd.ws/robots/ !

Welcome to the best dedicated dating site for black singles!
 Get more love in your city and around the world!
 FREE REGISTRATION!
        
 http://www.ebonyconnect.com/i/03

--- In simmstick@yahoogroups.com, "qun15508" <qun15508@y...>

I've been observing the moderator
removing the annoying email guys --
Can't the moderator delete their messages
also? 

Thanks, AllanL.

Allan Lane wrote:
> 
> I've been observing the moderator
> removing the annoying email guys --
> Can't the moderator delete their messages
> also?
> 
> Thanks, AllanL.

After he posts, the damage is done Alan.
Sure I can delete the message from the archive, but as it has been sent,
there really isn't any point.

Here is the problem:
As a list moderator, you get spam sent to you directly at the rate of
about 8 or 10 spams a day. Well I do anyway.

Even if you change your email address, the yahoo system still makes sure
you get this moderator email. Yahoo have no interest in spending any
time fixing this. Mind you, I don't think they have any interest in
fixing anything.

This is the way I have it set up:
Group is only for members, so they must sign up. I guess these spammers
use a script to do this. It seems an awful lot of trouble to spam a
group that will be net savvy, as most yahoo group members are.

I have to change my email preference settings in my mailer to be able to
post to this group each time as a member, as my moderator email address
now falls into a hole. I have set up 2 email addresses, one as
moderator, and one as a member. 

So I have 3 choices:

1)
Leave my moderator address as valid, moderate every new membership
submission, and put up with 10 spams a day.

2)
Drop all moderator emails into a hole, and remove these annoying
spammers from our membership once a week. Which I currently do.

3)
Cancel the group.

Do I really want them to win?
I have so far terminated so many good services because of spammers.

My guestbook has closed down.
My information auto responders are now all shut down. 
I don't put an email address on my web pages.
Customers have a form to fill out, to get a message to me, but they are
returned a valid email address.
Each new year, my general email addresses increment by one.
IE: support2003(at)dontronics.com becomes support2004(at)dontronics.com
[(at) = @]
(see what you have to do all the time to survive.)
You can't post to a newsgroup without munging your email address.

Because of overseas fax spam and phone spam, I now have auto responders
just to get my fax/phone numbers back to the customer.
Mind you, this wasn't the only reason, I also had potential customers
ringing at 03:00 am at regular intervals.
I have people in New York ring me in Australia to see if I am interested
in financial portfolios. I have had this several times.
I basically now have a silent fax number. I am thinking about changing
my phone number to a silent one, after 30 years with the same number.
Is this anyway for a business to operate?

As it turns out, I have had 3 different payment gateways this year
because of fraudulent orders. Most of these originate from Indonesia.
I was getting hit with thousands of dollars a day, but being web savvy,
it was more of a nuisance, than financial damage.

I have had 3 different web hosts this year. I shifted from one that
wasn't offering any new features that I need today, then the new one
decided that their system was too old, and I was forced to shift again
to their new system, so dontronics.com has resided on 3 different web
hosts this year.

Rather than cancel this group, I am looking at ways of migrating over to
a new system that would be beneficial to all of us.
Or, If anyone out there is more knowledgeable with yahoo groups, that
have any immediate answers, I am more than happy to listen. 

You have to work hard to keep ahead of these "%$@*&^%#%_^@^%%$@_!@%*"s,
no I don't swear on the net, but you know who I mean. 

Cheers Don...

-- 
Don McKenzie  E-mail:    http://www.dontronics.com/e-mail.html
              Home Page: http://www.dontronics.com

USB to RS-232 Converter that works
http://www.dontronics.com/usb_232.html
The World's Largest Range of  Atmel/AVR  & PICmicro Hardware and
Software

For less than a night at the movies, you'll get our all-inclusive software and easy, full-color instructions to Copy ANY DVD to a CD-R!
http://dvdpro.maza.ru/

Yes! They will play on your CD and DVD player!
http://dvdpro.maza.ru/

Hi Gang, the message below has started two seperate threads in
comp.robotics.misc, and comp.arch.embedded. See Below:

Myself and Alex Gibson, have come to the defence of Simmstick, however
it would be nice if some other users can also express their views on the
subject.

As this mailing list is devoted to SimmStick, I would hope there are
some supporters out there. :-)


BTW, I have been playing around with another mailing list, "mailman" on
my web host, not 100% happy with it, but I may have to move to it.
At least it will be ad free, and cut out spam (I Hope) :-)

Currently, I have made this list so that any new member must be
approved. I am however getting about 40+ spams a day just through the
list owner address.

Thanks Don...

==========================================

Subject: 
             SimmSticks - Why?
        Date: 
             Wed, 10 Sep 2003 10:48:56 -0500
       From: 
             Cal Craughton <ccc@r...>
 Organization: 
             Sometimes
 Newsgroups: 
             comp.robotics.misc





I have been out of the hardware scene for a while.

While getting up to speed, I have noticed that the
"SimmSticks" seem to be insanely popular.

Perhaps I am just missing the obvious - however,
I have some questions:

  1. Many Simm sockets have a minimum life expectancy
     of 25 insertions. After that you are on borrowed
     time. Has anyone noticed a problem in this area
     during prototyping?

  2. I don't see what the spectacular advantage is over
     using the little .100 single and dual headers and
     stacking the boards together. Back in the day
     (> 10 years) this was *the* method we used for Z80
     and 68HC11 boards and I/O.

     If we were protyping, we let friction hold them
     together. For permanent use, we fastened them
     together with standoffs.

  3.  Lastly, in this modern day of space travel and
      microwave ovens, why hasn't SPI or I2C become
      the bus of choice for uC projects. No backplane
      required, few wires, almost unlimited I/O
      address range...


I'm probably doing a lot of point missing.
Cal C.




-- 
Don McKenzie  E-mail:    http://www.dontronics.com/e-mail.html
              Home Page: http://www.dontronics.com

USB to RS-232 Converter that works
http://www.dontronics.com/usb_232.html
The World's Largest Range of  Atmel/AVR  & PICmicro Hardware and
Software

Don:

I really hate to say it, but I somewhat agree with Cal.

I do like the SimmStick form factor and use it for most
of my robotics need. I started robotics with the SimmStick
form factor. The bus is nice for robotics. It's small enough
and supports a good bus. I also appreciate the trouble you've
been through for this standard.

However, I've had a *lot* of practical problems. I think
that there is some missmatch been your SimmSticks and the
ones backplanes used by Systronix.

Are the Dontronics SimmSticks smaller than 0.05"? It wouldn't
have to be much to make this have problems

I spent a week debugging a circuit to find it was just that
the SimmStick prototyping board *only* works in a single slot.

Now, it could be the connectors used or perhaps I damaged the
board somehow in my soldering, but it was still overly frustrating.

This may have just been *my* experience which has colored my
perceptions. However, it was still frustrating.

The other problem with SimmSticks is the prototyping problem. The
board-width causes problems in that I can't get some made in the
inexpensive prototying places.

I understand that SimmSticks have been used successfully in many
projects include commercial projects. They do make it easier to
prototype projects.

Once I get my robot peripheral board prototyped, I will put headers
on the boards and lose the backplane. Not only will this make my
project smaller, it should kill the problems caused by the connections.

> Subject:        SimmSticks - Why?
>         Date:   Wed, 10 Sep 2003 10:48:56 -0500
>        From:    Cal Craughton <ccc@r...>
>  Organization:  Sometimes
>  Newsgroups:    comp.robotics.misc

> I have been out of the hardware scene for a while.
> 
> While getting up to speed, I have noticed that the
> "SimmSticks" seem to be insanely popular.
> 
> Perhaps I am just missing the obvious - however,
> I have some questions:
> 
>   1. Many Simm sockets have a minimum life expectancy
>      of 25 insertions. After that you are on borrowed
>      time. Has anyone noticed a problem in this area
>      during prototyping?

At least the connectors on your site are rated for *much*
higher than that.

>   3.  Lastly, in this modern day of space travel and
>       microwave ovens, why hasn't SPI or I2C become
>       the bus of choice for uC projects. No backplane
>       required, few wires, almost unlimited I/O
>       address range..

I use SPI over SimmStick for almost all communications
with my peripherals.
-- 
D. Jay Newman           ! 
jay@s...     ! Xander: Giles, don't make cave-slayer unhappy.
http://enerd.ws/robots/ !

"D. Jay Newman" wrote:
> 
> Don:

> However, I've had a *lot* of practical problems. I think
> that there is some missmatch been your SimmSticks and the
> ones backplanes used by Systronix.

Not sure what you mean here D. Jay, but the I think the Systronix man is
still on this list and may be able to address this for you.

> Are the Dontronics SimmSticks smaller than 0.05"? It wouldn't
> have to be much to make this have problems

they are .05" or 1.26mm
my board man did do a batch of dt106's in 1.00mm that caused us
headaches. I hope you didn't get caught up in this. I sold a batch of
them cheap. mentioned it on this list.

> I spent a week debugging a circuit to find it was just that
> the SimmStick prototyping board *only* works in a single slot.

If you have a meter or buzzer with an audio sound function, it only
takes a few minutes to buzz 30 pins on a 4 slot system from one
SimmStick board to another, say from slot 1 to slot 4, and determine if
it is a track, a solder joint, or a pin.

If it is a pin, then this is worst case, as you will need a replacement
pin, but it isn't impossible to fix.

> The other problem with SimmSticks is the prototyping problem. The
> board-width causes problems in that I can't get some made in the
> inexpensive prototying places.

have a look at: http://www.dontronics.com/dt208.html This is designed to
overcome this problem.
Have a look at: http://www.dontronics.com/u401.html This uses a standard
thickness board. You don't need to use sockets and .05" boards, you can
use male and female connectors if you wish.
see: http://www.dontronics.com/simcon.html

> I understand that SimmSticks have been used successfully in many
> projects include commercial projects. They do make it easier to
> prototype projects.
> 
> Once I get my robot peripheral board prototyped, I will put headers
> on the boards and lose the backplane. Not only will this make my
> project smaller, it should kill the problems caused by the connections.

Yes sure, what works for some may not work for others.

Don...

-- 
Don McKenzie  E-mail:    http://www.dontronics.com/e-mail.html
              Home Page: http://www.dontronics.com

USB to RS-232 Converter that works
http://www.dontronics.com/usb_232.html
The World's Largest Range of  Atmel/AVR  & PICmicro Hardware and
Software

> "D. Jay Newman" wrote:
> > 
> > Don:
> 
> > However, I've had a *lot* of practical problems. I think
> > that there is some missmatch been your SimmSticks and the
> > ones backplanes used by Systronix.
> 
> Not sure what you mean here D. Jay, but the I think the Systronix man is
> still on this list and may be able to address this for you.

I'd be interested.

> > Are the Dontronics SimmSticks smaller than 0.05"? It wouldn't
> > have to be much to make this have problems
> 
> they are .05" or 1.26mm
> my board man did do a batch of dt106's in 1.00mm that caused us
> headaches. I hope you didn't get caught up in this. I sold a batch of
> them cheap. mentioned it on this list.

That the dt106s the "sea of hole" boards? That's mainly the one I use.

> > I spent a week debugging a circuit to find it was just that
> > the SimmStick prototyping board *only* works in a single slot.
> 
> If you have a meter or buzzer with an audio sound function, it only
> takes a few minutes to buzz 30 pins on a 4 slot system from one
> SimmStick board to another, say from slot 1 to slot 4, and determine if
> it is a track, a solder joint, or a pin.

Been there, done that. I can use the meter to go from connector to connector
on any slot.

> If it is a pin, then this is worst case, as you will need a replacement
> pin, but it isn't impossible to fix.

It would be several connectors, not just a single pin.

> > The other problem with SimmSticks is the prototyping problem. The
> > board-width causes problems in that I can't get some made in the
> > inexpensive prototying places.
> 
> have a look at: http://www.dontronics.com/dt208.html This is designed to
> overcome this problem.

I have these, but don't like them as they take space in an otherwise
crowded space.

> Have a look at: http://www.dontronics.com/u401.html This uses a standard
> thickness board. You don't need to use sockets and .05" boards, you can
> use male and female connectors if you wish.
> see: http://www.dontronics.com/simcon.html

This is the solution I will use when I make my next prototype. I may test
it on this particular board shortly.

> > Once I get my robot peripheral board prototyped, I will put headers
> > on the boards and lose the backplane. Not only will this make my
> > project smaller, it should kill the problems caused by the connections.
> 
> Yes sure, what works for some may not work for others.

Yes, my problem isn't so much with the SimmStick bus, but the connectors.
Once I can get the power supply done, I should be fine.
-- 
D. Jay Newman           ! 
jay@s...     ! Xander: Giles, don't make cave-slayer unhappy.
http://enerd.ws/robots/ !

"D. Jay Newman" wrote:

> > they are .05" or 1.26mm
> > my board man did do a batch of dt106's in 1.00mm that caused us
> > headaches. I hope you didn't get caught up in this. I sold a batch of
> > them cheap. mentioned it on this list.
> 
> That the dt106s the "sea of hole" boards? That's mainly the one I use.

OK, no they should be fine thickness wise.
We had bad problems with the dt106's but no other problems have been
reported.
I don't expect the sockets to last forever with unlimited insertions,
perhaps you got a bad manufacturers batch Jay.

If we had these problems 7 years ago, then SimmStick would have sunk
there and then.

> > Have a look at: http://www.dontronics.com/u401.html This uses a standard
> > thickness board. You don't need to use sockets and .05" boards, you can
> > use male and female connectors if you wish.
> > see: http://www.dontronics.com/simcon.html
> 
> This is the solution I will use when I make my next prototype. I may test
> it on this particular board shortly.

Sure, there may well come a day when you can't get suitable 30 pin
sockets anyway. I have thousands in stock just to make sure, but there
is no reason why the bus can't be supported with male/female connectors
and standard size boards.

I thought hard about this before I jumped into SimmStick 7 or 8 years
ago.

> > > Once I get my robot peripheral board prototyped, I will put headers
> > > on the boards and lose the backplane. Not only will this make my
> > > project smaller, it should kill the problems caused by the connections.
> >
> > Yes sure, what works for some may not work for others.
> 
> Yes, my problem isn't so much with the SimmStick bus, but the connectors.
> Once I can get the power supply done, I should be fine.

Hopefully this is the correct answer for your problem then, good luck
with the connector approach.

Don...


> --
> D. Jay Newman           !
> jay@s...     ! Xander: Giles, don't make cave-slayer unhappy.
> http://enerd.ws/robots/ !


-- 
Don McKenzie  E-mail:    http://www.dontronics.com/e-mail.html
              Home Page: http://www.dontronics.com

USB to RS-232 Converter that works
http://www.dontronics.com/usb_232.html
The World's Largest Range of  Atmel/AVR  & PICmicro Hardware and
Software

Hi Gang, here is the info on the new SimmStick group.

If you wish to try it now, please do so, however I will be away for an
hour or so if you do.

Cheers Don...

======================================

This information is also posted to:
http://www.dontronics.com/simmstick_group.html 

On the 15th September 2003, we started a new SimmStick Mailing List
Group, as the old Yahoo group one was gathering up far too much
Spam via the Moderators Email address. 

The New SimmStick Group: 

To subscribe to the new group, point your browser at:  
http://www.dontronics.com/mailman/listinfo/simmstick_group_dontronics.com 
and simply fill out your Name, Email address, and a Password. 

To see the collection of prior postings to the list, visit the
SimmStick_Group Archives.  

There may be a delay setting up the correct parameters of the new
mailing list as we find problems, so we would appreciate existing
members
remaining on both lists until we have this sorted out. 

As we don't wish to lose any of our valued members during this
transition, SimmStick specific messages will be posted to both lists for
the first
few days, or until all members have moved across to the new group. 

The new group will have no advertising, and hopefully no Spam. 
Please don't post, or advertise any email address associated with the
SimmStick Group, just use: 
http://www.dontronics.com/mailman/listinfo/simmstick_group_dontronics.com 

Only members can post to the group, and to become  member, you must fill
out the simple web form, and return an email for confirmation to the
list. 

The only negatives we can see with this new group, is that any
non-member that attempts to send a message to the group, will be asked
to wait
until  their message is approved by the moderator, and these messages
are stored in a folder, until they are acted upon, or deleted. 

Under existing conditions, all messages will be deleted, so any genuine
non-member, who wishes to become a member will be
waiting forever, if they try posting a message before subscribing. 

Currently, there is no way of altering the programs parameters to
overcome this. 
Program used is Mailman Version 2.1.2 


The Old SimmStick Group: 

To Unsubscribe from the old group, send a blank message to:
simmstick-unsubscribe@e...  

============================================================================================


-- 
Don McKenzie  E-mail:    http://www.dontronics.com/e-mail.html
              Home Page: http://www.dontronics.com

USB to RS-232 Converter that works
http://www.dontronics.com/usb_232.html
The World's Largest Range of  Atmel/AVR  & PICmicro Hardware and
Software