View Full Version : Picaxe- Wikipedia entry
Stan. SWAN
21-01-2006, 22:14
Any one feeling technically expansive ? Wikipedia's modest Picaxe entry <A href='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PICAXE ' Target=_Blank>External Web Link</a> could do with some enthusiastic embellishing...
Michael 2727
21-01-2006, 22:24
I must be using the wrong code,, I want the
faster version. ~ ;o)
premelec
21-01-2006, 23:33
Stan I think you are the one to do it... something about support and ease - [no, I'm not referring to underwear...] :-)
I've just done my first ever Wikipedia edit, and easier than I thought it would be. I also thought one had to be registered to make edits, but obviously not. So that meens we can all add out two-cents worth :-)
Hooray for Hippy! Glad you fixed it. I was tkaing a gander at doing it, but didn't know if I should or not (dont quite know how wikipedia works) and didn't wanna make things worse.
good on ya!
--Andy P
Rickharris
22-01-2006, 09:18
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=1 face=arial>quote:<hr height=1 noshade>Hooray for Hippy! Glad you fixed it. I was taking a gander at doing it, but didn't know if I should or not (dont quite know how wikipedia works) and didn't wanna make things worse <hr height=1 noshade></BLOCKQUOTE></font><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2>
Anyone can edit the articals in the wiki. even if the information they put in is wrong. Strangly that's the strength, with alot of users wrong informaion gets corrected by others who know better.
For technical matters this works well - just like peer review. But falls down rather when people are expressing opinions e.g. on other people!.
Well edited Hippy.
Edited by - rickharris on 1/22/2006 9:59:56 AM
Edited by - rickharris on 1/22/2006 10:00:58 AM
Just to be a pedant, I added an 'of' before 'footprints' in the Wikipedia article. :)
That's what makes Wikipedia ( and other Wiki's ) work well; collaborative effort. People can put in useful content, while those who like tidying up and crafting content into literary masterpieces can do that. Everyone can put what they have to offer into it. It is a bit scary, but a stub like that for the PICAXE is probably a good place to learn and get a feel for it.
this seems no better than any other place to put it but...
hippy: is your email not working? i have tried sending you emails but it is bouncing... is there an alternate email i could use?
How does it get removed from the "stubs" category?
Gussy : Got an email from you today which I'll reply to soon, didn't get anything earlier.
Rickharris
22-01-2006, 20:23
Mikek.
<A href='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Find_or_fix_a_stub' Target=_Blank>External Web Link</a> is a link to the Wiki page on stubs.
Edited by - rickharris on 1/22/2006 7:24:01 PM
Stan. SWAN
23-01-2006, 01:31
Great input guys! I've tweaked a few phrases in the first paragraph & would also like to upload a pix to rank with the BS show off one. Other than a Rev.Ed offering are there any pictorial prospects on offer? Stan
Woohoo! I did it :) My first wiki edit. hehe.
I changed some of the serial stuff, and a little bit of the advanced interfacing stuff. Hope nobody minds ;)
As for pictures, I'd be glad to take some "posed" pictures. What about your 08 breadboard pic's Stan? To show off the simplicity of the system compared to others.
--Andy P
frankeltham
23-01-2006, 09:48
Blimey, the Wiki entry is getting enormous.
It's changed from a description to a Sales Brochure.
Don't the Wiki people mind (essentially) free international advertising?
Michael 2727
23-01-2006, 10:49
Analogue interfacing,,First line,,
People unfamiliar with the picaxe system may
not realize that there are M, A & X parts also available.
Just remember whatever you write is
probably going to be read by people who
don't know a PICAXE from a DoorStop.
KISS.
I'm not going to change it as I'm a lazy a@#.
Stan. SWAN
23-01-2006, 11:05
I guess a linked image of a raw PIC would naturally be just as good, but how about the barebones layout pix at => www.picaxe.orcon.net.nz/bread08.jpg <A href='http://www.picaxe.orcon.net.nz/bread08.jpg ' Target=_Blank>External Web Link</a> ?
I'm wondering if the spiel is getting too technical further down - folks may prefer to link to that & instead want some snazzy application to back up our earlier enthusiastic intro.
<i>Blimey, the Wiki entry is getting enormous. It's changed from a description to a Sales Brochure.
Don't the Wiki people mind (essentially) free international advertising? </i>
The way I see it is that as long as it is factual there's nothing wrong with it. If anyone feels it is 'advertising' then they are free to edit it to make it more neutral, and I'm sure they will, and in the links to the page, I've edited some of the more negatively worded things to be more neutral.
The one thing to accept is that there are some negative aspects to the PICAXE and if people point them out, accept that, but counter or re-word to be more neutral, ie, be fair on both sides. If someone says they have a problem with some aspect of the PICAXE then acknowledge that they do, but perhaps put it in context. Expect that your own words will get changed also.
How detailed the entry should be is an open-ended question. If the entry becomes cumbersome it can be broken into sub-pages.
frankeltham
23-01-2006, 16:42
I only meant it in a light-hearted way.
It just concerned me (only a little bit) that the entries (especially if people started criticizing) could end up like a forum - or some people might put items on it that were just blatant advertising (like my radar controlled wife-detector).
I am not referring to the PICAXE entry by the way which is merely informative... at the moment anyway.
Stan: That's definitly what Iw as getting at with my statement about your breadboard pics.
As far as the "advertising": We're in a war people!!! Us vs. Basic Stamps ;) O.k., so it's not a war. But...at lest here in the states...the basic stamp is the king of the BASIC Interpreted chips/ modules. Most people that I talk to in the US have no idea what a picaxe is, but almost all of them know what a basic stamp is.
My point is, it's not advertising, it's enlightening! I've used basic stamps, and actually bought a BS2 right before I found picaxes and kick myself for spending the money. I actually gave the basic stamp to an old college buddy cause I rather like the picaxes better...
---Andy P
Absolutely no offence to Stan, but if breadboard pictures get put up can we balance that with a 'real PCB' just to show the PICAXE isn't a hobbyist toy. While we all know it's not, we don't want to give the impression it is.
From my experience, getting UK products into the US market can be difficult, especially against US homegrown product. A UK company I worked for eventually formed a US company and 'faked' the products as American in origin and only then saw sales increase.
When looking for a controller for home use I looked at everything - PICmicro, Atmel AVR, Basic Stamp, Basic-X, Basic Atom, OOPic, Protean TICkit, BrainStem and others. Nothing came close on cost, nor seemed as easy to use as the PICAXE. Some did have advantages I could see over the PICAXE, but not at the price. That still holds true and the only competition I'd consider if buying on price is the Athena from Kronos Robotics. Beyond price though, that the PICAXE can do serial interfacing to a PC with just a resistor or two is still the reason I'm hooked with it.
The ideal PICAXE image which springs to my mind is an AXE210 with a PICAXE alongside Xbee - If that doesn't scream latest technology whizkid I don't know what does.
Have Rev-Ed got a good quality image they'd alow to be used ? I did manage to cull this one from the PICAXE Connect flyer ...
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/the.happy.hippy/picaxe/wiki.gif
Michael 2727
23-01-2006, 22:54
Frank,,!
Send wife detector circuit please.
Is it tuneble, blonde, brunete, red head,,?
And does it have filters, no-nag, own CC, mute, good cook etc.
~ ;o)
frankeltham
23-01-2006, 23:03
I'm just including the Mother-In-Law recursive subroutine with auto rear car seat ejection. Bear with me.
Stan. SWAN
24-01-2006, 07:03
Hippy -nice thought on ZigBee & we should mention it at least. Thanks to Rev.Ed I've already got that exact XBee/Picaxe module in my hot little hand, but have to say it's a rather daunting PCB at first glance. If used as a main image Wikipeadia newbees may get the wrong idea. The initial Picaxe image needs to show bare bones " Is that all that's involved" SIMPLICITY of course.
Why not several pix ? I've stacks of possibles to hand, with many shown as thumbnails on => www.picaxe,orcon.net.nz <A href='http://www.picaxe.orcon.net.nz' Target=_Blank>External Web Link</a>, but have rather held back in case my views (pun) are not the norm. How about Andrew's (fellow Kiwi) =>www.picaxe08.orcon.net.nz/Files/picaxe_proto_kitset.jpg <A href='http://www.picaxe08.orcon.net.nz/Files/picaxe_proto_kitset.jpg ' Target=_Blank>External Web Link</a> or => www.brightsparks.org.nz/MentorFTP//PICAXE-08/www_help/Files/206-0656_IMG.jpg <A href='http://www.brightsparks.org.nz/MentorFTP//PICAXE-08/www_help/Files/206-0656_IMG.jpg ' Target=_Blank>External Web Link</a>
Rev.Ed's stark 08M at => www.rev-ed.co.uk/images/full/8pin.jpg <A href='http://www.rev-ed.co.uk/images/full/8pin.jpg ' Target=_Blank>External Web Link</a> makes the point about simplicity - but how about my upload for starters?! It certainly looks "CAN DO"
Edited by - Stan. swan on 1/24/2006 6:36:57 AM
I would avoid the "bare chip" pictures. They could technically be anyhting, and if youve seen one 8 pin dip, youve seen most of them (there are the exceptions of course!!).
I still vote for at least stans 08 breadboard, perhaps with something else. What about tarzans robot? As I recall, he made a damn cool rover out of a bunhc of picaxes...Just to show what's possible.
--Andy P
Stan. SWAN
24-01-2006, 19:06
Right - bare breadboard layout pix it is! See => http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PICAXE <A href='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PICAXE ' Target=_Blank>External Web Link</a> for latest tweaks.
I must say this simple picture certainly adds a " Hey-I could do that" touch to the Wiki, close to what we're all trying to convey to newbees of course. Stan
Michael 2727
24-01-2006, 21:26
Stan I can send you that same picture
reduced in File size only from 85kb to 25kb
with only minimal loss of quality, if you like.
I know many people now have broadband, but a
lot still don't, every little bit counts.
Stan. SWAN
24-01-2006, 22:37
If you like, even though I find pix under 100k usually load OK on dial up - that image was orig. >1Meg ! I've made a combo "Easy-Hard" pix now too.
Edited by - Stan. swan on 1/24/2006 10:54:53 PM
BrendanP
28-01-2006, 01:59
Wiki articles have quite a lot of authority, its now one of the most commonly visited sites on the web. I had a friend who was refused refugee status in Australia. The goverment department who handled his case quoted a wiki article in making its descision. No joke I read the letter myself.
Â*
It's rather frightening the faith people put into Wikipedia articles as being authoritative at times. Fact and reality can easily become not what they are but what a particular group of people say they are.
I think we've all seen plenty of evidence of the dangers of people telling others what the truth is when it's no such thing, but this is not the platform for such political discussion. Suffice to say, never leave your critical thinking gear at home, and never leave your BS detector turned off.
Rickharris
28-01-2006, 18:13
How true Hippy - for years I have thought that electrons were particles orbiting the atom nucleus! - in fact I still do, (by preference :))
Stan. SWAN
28-01-2006, 20:43
Can I assume folks are reasonably happy with the combo pix I'd uploaded ? The idea was to shown "dead easy -> super involved" at a glance.
I think the pics are fine stan.
I jsut had a thought, actually...regarding the base simple and highly advanced...would it be worth while to add in a collection of projects, with links? Not the whole project in the wiki, but like a "possible uses" type of thing.
We've all done some pretty varied and interesting projects, and perhaps it would help the non picaxe junkie to see what has been done? The part about "The illusion of limited capabilities" hints at this, but doesn't go into detail. Perhaps detail is what's needed to push in on the basic stamp crowd? (no, I'm not out ot get them, honest!) ;)
What do you guys think?
--Andy P
Again, without offense to Stan - good job done, and you actually did do it - the images don't strictly comply with Wikipedia guidelines. I have no problem with the photo's themselves or content. I also think putting the photos at the bottom of the into is also better than alongside as other pages do, which messes up fluidity even on 800x600. If we could get a third, they can be massaged into a three-column wide thumbnail collection.
I suppose what's there should be thrown open to some Wikipedian Mentor who can then advise on what needs doing / changing to get it out of stub status. Unfortunately the world of Wikepedia is outside my experience, so I'm not clear on what to do.
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