From dan at linder.org Sun Dec 1 14:15:27 2013 From: dan at linder.org (Dan Linder) Date: Sun, 1 Dec 2013 16:15:27 -0600 Subject: [Omaha.pm] Programmable robot suggestions for kids (12yo and 7yo) Message-ID: My daughters both want a robot to play with for Christmas. The youngest one would probably be fine with a RC robot toy, but the older one wants something a bit more advanced and programmable. I've seen a few on-line: 1. http://www.scientificsonline.com/parallax-boe-robot-kit.html * Parallax BASIC Stamp programmable, but at nearly $200. 2. http://www.scientificsonline.com/atr-all-terrain-robot-kit.html * Not programmable (RC only), but for $55 it's in the price range. 3. http://www.scientificsonline.com/recon-6-programmable-rover.html * This one looks to be a balance between the two extremes, and is still close to the price range ($70). 4. (no URL) Lego Mindstorm * Programmable through their own system or via the MIT Scratch language, but the kits seem to start at $200 minimum, even on eBay or Amazon. :( 5. http://www.robotshop.com/en/dfrobotshop-rover-tracked-robot-basic-kit.html * Arduino based and only $75, but doesn't include many sensors or other 'fun' things to keep her interested. Adding an ultrasonic range detection board, some switches, servos, light sensors, and other components is going to put this into the $120+ range. In light of these, I'm thinking option #3 is about the right mix but I'm open to other suggestions. Are there other robotics options that I'm overlooking that might fit in? Thanks, Dan "A father trying to raise two nerd daughters on a budget" -- ***************** ************* *********** ******* ***** *** ** "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?" (Who can watch the watchmen?) -- from the Satires of Juvenal "I do not fear computers, I fear the lack of them." -- Isaac Asimov (Author) ** *** ***** ******* *********** ************* ***************** -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jay at jays.net Tue Dec 3 07:36:32 2013 From: jay at jays.net (Jay Hannah) Date: Tue, 3 Dec 2013 09:36:32 -0600 Subject: [Omaha.pm] Tonight! 7pm - Dancer web application microframework References: <8ECE1623-E728-4501-AC76-0B157C7614F5@jays.net> Message-ID: <4ABFFDFA-55F9-4DFD-A1E7-2D2103478542@jays.net> http://omacode.org Don't forget to come on out!! Sponsored by: TEKsystems, bringing pizza, pop @ 7pm. Woot! http://www.teksystems.com/ See you there! j Begin forwarded message: > A little song, a little Dance, maybe a little ImageMagick in your pants... > > Upcoming Meetings > > Tuesday, Dec 3 2013 7pm > > Brian Edwards - Overview of Dancer Perl web micro-framework. > > An overview of Dancer, the minimalist Perl web framework "inspired by Sinatra". > > Dancer is intuitive and straight-forward - gets things running quickly, clean, lean and powerful. From small sites to full-scale enterprise web apps Dancer does the job without getting in the way. > > Flexible enough to keep Modern Perl monkeys happy and make an old procedural gorilla productive again. > > Depending on available prep time, I'll try to mix a little ImageMagick into the talk / demo app. > > http://www.perldancer.org > https://twitter.com/PerlDancer > https://github.com/PerlDancer/Dancer > http://www.imagemagick.org/script/index.php > > BYOB, I'm a cheap date. But hope to see you there. > > Brian Edwards > > > > http://code.omahamakergroup.org/ > > From jay at jays.net Tue Dec 3 15:14:20 2013 From: jay at jays.net (Jay Hannah) Date: Tue, 3 Dec 2013 17:14:20 -0600 Subject: [Omaha.pm] Tonight! 7pm - Dancer web application microframework In-Reply-To: References: <8ECE1623-E728-4501-AC76-0B157C7614F5@jays.net> <4ABFFDFA-55F9-4DFD-A1E7-2D2103478542@jays.net> Message-ID: <9742117A-9A1F-44D0-836E-8189990B866F@jays.net> On Dec 3, 2013, at 5:07 PM, James Harr wrote: > I'm on my way. Should be able to get the doors open by 6pm. Oh! Which reminds me: If you're not a dues-paying OMG member, please consider throwing $5 or whatever in the "General Donations" bucket on top of the fridge. Help our host organization keep the lights on. :) Thanks, j From jay.hannah at iinteractive.com Wed Dec 4 12:15:21 2013 From: jay.hannah at iinteractive.com (Jay Hannah) Date: Wed, 4 Dec 2013 14:15:21 -0600 Subject: [Omaha.pm] Perl shiny rumor mongering Message-ID: <715CD472-529E-4F27-A34B-4E2CFFA0290E@iinteractive.com> Last night I flippantly mentioned several rumors about what the "Cool Kids" might be using in the Modern Perl space nowadays. Here are those rumors again, with links. :) Distribution management: Minilla is cooler than Dist::Zilla? https://github.com/tokuhirom/Minilla http://dzil.org/ (Dancer ships with https://metacpan.org/pod/ExtUtils::MakeMaker) Multiple perls on your box: plenv is cooler than perlbrew? https://github.com/tokuhirom/plenv http://perlbrew.pl/ (Nobody sane uses system (OS) perl.) Multiple perl library sets: Everyone uses local::lib? (e.g.: perlbrew lib uses local::lib) https://metacpan.org/pod/local::lib Getting distributions from CPAN Everyone uses cpanm? https://metacpan.org/pod/cpanm HTH, Jay Hannah Project Lead / Programmer http://www.iinteractive.com Email: jay.hannah at iinteractive.com AOL IM: deafferret Mobile: 1.402.598.7782 Fax: 1.402.691.9496