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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : The World’s First Arduino Computer.
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donmck Guru  Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1310 |
Maximite Compatible. The World's First Arduino Computer. An Open Source Hardware Project. (OSHW) Full Story: http://www.themaximitecomputer.com/maximite-compatible-the-w orlds-first-arduino-computer/ Cheers Don... https://www.32v8.com/1 |
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vasi Guru Joined: 23/03/2007 Location: RomaniaPosts: 1697 |
Hi Don, That is an excellent project, well done and I like the article, congratulations! Vasi Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton Elvish name: Mablung Miriel Beyound Arduino Lang |
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Gizmo Admin Group  Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5012 |
I'll be watching the development closely. Good work Don. I think adding a screen, keyboard and BASIC to the Arduino range will interest a lot of people who havn't taken the plunge into Arduino yet. I have a Arduino ( thanks again Vasi ), but the reason I've done nothing more than light a LED with it is because I dont want to learn a new language. Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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| vasi Guru Joined: 23/03/2007 Location: RomaniaPosts: 1697 |
Hi Don, About "early rumors", I will give you the right material. At this link you can download a .pdf document which state the following at the page 4, on the right column: [quote]Finally there are Arduino’s predecessors, Programma 2003 and Wiring. One of the authors (Massimo) developed in 2003 a simple micro-controller platform called “Programma 2003” based on a PIC chip and the open source language Jal. The design goal for this platform was to have something as cheap as possible which would be open source and run on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. Programma 2003, however, lacked good documentation, a wide community, and used a relatively unknown programming language that lacked certain key features.[/quote] A more powerful microcontroller and a free C/C++ development chain were chosen against Microchip microcontrollers and weak free, open-source languages (still, JAL was crossplatform, Win, Linux, Mac OS). As we can see today, Microchip learned his lesson (we may thank to Arduino success and Pinguino project) and we have Arduino PIC based boards and an open-source C/C++ development tool chain for PIC32 thanks to Pinguino project. Personally, I hope that Microchip will do the same with PIC18 C language, the Pinguino 8bit project needs that (Hi Microchip, you don't need to force anymore the PIC32 adoption, let the PIC18F for the poor masses). In JAL defense, I will say that that was in 2003. Now we have JALv2, a powerful cross platform language and compiler which is the best for PIC16F's and good for PIC18F's in code size terms (the code is about 50% smaller than the one produced by the Oshonsoft Basic), with a large collection of libraries for USB HID, CDC and Bulk, Fat32 and a bunch of sensors, LCD's and other devices. It supports all Microchip microcontrollers from PIC10F to PIC18F's. Still free and open-source. Vasi ------------------------- Edit: One thing was clear at Massimo school: the C language was too hard for the students so this is why he first chose Jal language which is like Basic and Pascal. Because Jal wasn't ready yet (Man, Jal was so close to be Arduino... anyway, is now thanks to FreeJALduino board), they "invented" Wiring language which is simplified C. As Processing is simplified Java. Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton Elvish name: Mablung Miriel Beyound Arduino Lang |
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| vasi Guru Joined: 23/03/2007 Location: RomaniaPosts: 1697 |
But lets see what were the Massimo Banzi words about that: [quote=Massimo Banzi]Hello some notes from the source.... Arduino was born in the context of Interaction Design Institute Ivrea where I was teaching as well as Casey Reas. * Processing was taught as part on an introduction to programming for designers (i'm overly simplifying here to make it short) Casey was the professor in charge * Wiring was a thesis project by Hernando Barragan with me and Casey as thesis advisors. This was the first attempt at making "Processing for hardware" * Arduino was implemented from scratch by me, david cuartielles, david mellis and nick zambetti Gianluca and Tom soon later. The idea was to have the concepts developed by Wiring available in a completely open source platfrom (which Wiring wasn't at the time) and developed outside of the institute time (to make sure it could stay 100% open) It was really annoying to teach with basic, especially basic stamp. Then I tried with BasicX 24 but the IDE ran only on pc and it has terrible terrible usability. the BasicX tended to fry very quickly. In the first class the student killed 7 in a few days. Processing was being picked up by more and more students and it was (finally!) becoming the institute's standard language therefore we had multiple discussions on where to go next. I made a platform based on pic and using the jal language called Programma2003 that was the testing ground for Arduino. It allowed me to understand what worked with my kind of students althought it was pretty bad it had the basic 6 button interface, bootloader, automatic reset etc etc.. then wiring happened etc etc I've toyed with the idea of teaching C to the students but I knew this would have scared the hell out of the students. You have to understand that for the original market of Arduino, the words C and C++ are scary.... Massimo[/quote] Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton Elvish name: Mablung Miriel Beyound Arduino Lang |
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| donmck Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1310 |
Thanks Guys, and thanks Vasi for the rundown on early Arduino. I knew you were very aware of the facts, and I wanted the story to be as close as I could get to the truth. I may need do little edits to it over time. This project was starting to become so difficult for numerous reasons, (and most of them had nothing to do with design), about a week ago I was ready to walk away, and actually retire. I hope I made the right decision by pushing ahead. PS Vasi, You would know of my friend and business associate Pavel Haiduc, of Bucharest? Cheers Don... https://www.32v8.com/1 |
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| vasi Guru Joined: 23/03/2007 Location: RomaniaPosts: 1697 |
Without searching... the one with the C compiler for AVR's? Not in person. Vasi Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton Elvish name: Mablung Miriel Beyound Arduino Lang |
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| donmck Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1310 |
That's the one Vasi. Thought being in a similar game, and in the same country, you may have crossed paths. We have done good business together for around 15 years. Cheers Don... https://www.32v8.com/1 |
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bigmik Guru Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2867 |
You sure did or else I would have to drink my OWN beer.. Mick Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
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| rhamer Senior Member  Joined: 06/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 174 |
Its taken me a few reads to understand exactly what this is, but now I think I have it. It's the missing link...... Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I just want to clarify what I think I've worked out. This board will be software compatible with MMbasic programs. It will have the same interfaces including 20 I/O USB VGA and so on, but may be driven by different physical pins on the PIC. This is to free up the necessary PIC hardware functions. It will have the same I/O as the Arduino stuff so all the existing shields will work. It will allow MMbasic to be expanded to offer new functionality such as serial, I2C, Ethernet ect using the internal PIC hardware for those functions, rather than doing it in software. If I've got it right, then well done, and I'll take one in green. So the big question is who is porting the firmware? is it a local effort, or being done by the Olimex folk. Cheers Rohan Rohan Hamer HAMFIELD Software & Hardware Solutions Makers of the Maximite Expander. http://www.hamfield.com.au |
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| donmck Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1310 |
Yes, pretty much hit the nail on the head Rohan. Regarding porting the firmware. When the person involved is happy to have his name released, then I am happy to make this info available. It may be a bigger task than first envisaged, so I don't want to place anyone under any undue pressure in advance, when he has a few months to solve the problems, although I am reasonably sure it won't take this long. Cheers Don... https://www.32v8.com/1 |
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| rhamer Senior Member Joined: 06/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 174 |
Ahh, so it is a HE. That narrows the field by 50% 
Cheers Rohan Rohan Hamer HAMFIELD Software & Hardware Solutions Makers of the Maximite Expander. http://www.hamfield.com.au |
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| donmck Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1310 |
Well Sparkey did invite all the girls. 
Now I guess we are swamped. Cheers Don... https://www.32v8.com/1 |
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Glenn Newbie  Joined: 14/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 29 |
Don, i just looked throught the link you gave. I'm not sure why this is needed? That PCB does not have the connectors for display, keyboard etc. Is the intention to make a new PCB with those connectors, and with the Shield.... I know next to nought of the Arduino, so probably misguided here ! glenn VK3PE |
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| donmck Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1310 |
It is mentioned in the text, but takes a bit of reading I must admit. The idea is to have a satellite board with the VGA and Keyboard connectors on it. This connects to the 10 pin header on the left hand side of the board. You can develop with the full unit, and if your final application doesn't need a keyboard and vga, you can snap the small board off for a stand alone application. It seems a bit silly to permanently connect these additional connectors to every board, when the final product will most likely be a stand alone unit, and these connectors will remain unused. It is a simple matter to plug the board back in if you need it for any reason. It is the same reason we built the EV stand alone board with no VGA or keyboard. And the main idea is to get the whole thing Arduino shield compatible. I know there is a long thread in this forum about this, that may help. Cheers Don... https://www.32v8.com/1 |
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| donmck Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1310 |
Dave Jones has left a couple of comments about this, and I have answered in more detail. So you aren't on your own. 
Check the comments down the bottom of: http://www.themaximitecomputer.com/maximite-compatible-the-w orlds-first-arduino-computer/ Cheers Don... https://www.32v8.com/1 |
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Keith @ Senior Member Joined: 19/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 167 |
Don This type of development is creativity in action ... this is really good news and I eagerly await the first edition. I notice some replies and articles struggle with use of the word computer and/or PC. Microchip articles can be a little misleading to the uninformed at first glance with the use of the word PC. And I have confused this concept with the USB to Serial adapter. Thinking that connecting the adapter to the Maximite's USB and running some drivers would produce a better, faster serial connection. Is the current GG Maximite a PC ? (GG = Geoff Graham) Yes I think it needs a defining name so that different versions can be distinguished from each other. When you use the word Arduino that opens up a whole new world and equally I see the same with Maximite the way it is going. What will be the new word for this project? Keith The more we know, the more we know we don't know ! |
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| donmck Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1310 |
Have a look at: http://www.dontronics-shop.com/australias-first-pc.html for my take on what a PC is or isn't. Don't know if I have got the answers to the naming convention Keith, and even if I tried, someone would say the opposite, and that I have got it wrong.
But I am silly, and will give it a try. You can only get shot for trying, can't you? You mean worse can happen? Geoff calls his device The Maximite Computer and yes it is a Micro-controller in what I feel is the true sense of the word. By all means call it the GG-MM for the purpose of ID. I am marketing the SM1-MM, and the EV-MM. The Olimex one has only ever been called the Maximite Compatible. OMC-MM ?? And I'll bet there are a heap more yet to come. Cheers Don... https://www.32v8.com/1 |
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Nick Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 512 |
PC = Personal Computer Meaning it is a COMPUTER but of the PERSONAL variety as opposed to the mainframe or mini computers of yesteryear which were only affordable by large companies and meant for non-personal applications. The term nowadays is a bit jumbled up. You can have a IBM/MAC computer which is used at work for non-personal use and you can own the same brand/model computer at home for personal use. So, which is it? The confusion gets worst! A MAC computer can also be a personal computer... a PC?! So what the hell *is* a PC?! Blame IBM for calling their first non-main/mini computer the 'IBM PC'. That started the ball rolling that only the IBM was the 'personal computer'. I always preferred the term 'micro-computer', because it used a microprocessor and it was micro compared to the main/mini computers of the time. Ironically, Tandy/Radio Shack got it right when they badged their TRS-80 as the 'TRS-80 Microcomputer System'. I think the term 'personal computer' is now defunct as it seems nowdays to be classed as a computer that run 'IBM compatible' software and runs an Intel CPU. But wait! My MAC can run IBM Compatible software (via emulation) and it runs an Intel CPU!! Grrr!! Someone get me an aspirin!! |
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| donmck Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1310 |
The hardware on the new Maximite compatible, will have USB-OTG. To show you what can be done with this, here is the the Pinguino-32 (a sister board) in action: http://blog.pinguino.cc/?p=197 Control of apps from your Android phone. This was announced by Olimex a few minutes ago. OK, that takes care of the hardware. The rest is only software.
Cheers Don... https://www.32v8.com/1 |
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