Howdo. I’m Andy.
I’m a programmer by trade, but am just getting into microprocessors and circuits as a bridge between my father (Gen I, aged 70, good with analogue circuits, knows all about volts, ohms, current, etc, builds mixing desks in his spare time, that kind of thing…) and my son (Gen III, aged 7, good with gadgets, interested in tech, if it didn’t happen on facebook, it didn’t happen.).
Its awkward ground, but we’re finding it fun. Dad’s instincts on our Wednesday night meet are to solve everything with hardware, using his arduino as if it were just a 5v power supply. His circuits work, but they have nameless armies of components marching across the table.
My instincts are to solve everything with logic, using my arduino as if it were any other computer attached to the serial monitor. My circuits eventually work, but I still only know parrot fashion where resistors are required (and indeed, what they do).
We are three weeks in now. Dad thinks breadboards are an amazing invention, but is yet to really grip the processing side of it all. Each Wednesday, we try to research and set a Saturday challenge for my boy, Teddy.
Teddy’s instincts are to ask me, then my father, and think about what’s likely to be the mid-point of hardware and software bias. His ambitions are lean and logical. As long as whatever task we set is Star Wars or lego related, its usually a goer.
His sister and I get called upon for model making and drawing duties, and its becoming a real family interest.
I’ve just ordered a pair of servos to bring some of the electronics into the ‘real’ world of things that move. Timed it just wrong with the Pi Zero release, and have been watching a ‘prepared for dispatch’ message since dad went home Wednesday night.
I may have to come up with something else for the weekend! :)