Spring Cleaning for the list

[KA4HJH]

Well, if this hasn't been refreshing! I don't think a single person 
(who didn't deserve it) even got hurt this time around.

Here's my own personal situation:

A. I don't have the money to buy lots of kits
B. I don't have the money to buy oddball parts with huge minimum orders
C. I can make single-sided PC boards
D. I like to change things to suit my own needs, which is one of the 
great things about synth modules you build yourself
E. I am not an engineer, and my knowledge/patience has limits. I also 
absolutely hate re-inventing the wheel. If someone else has already 
figured it out, GREAT...
F. I haven't had the opportunity to get much built up till now.

I can't afford an MOTM VCO, period. I'm reminded of the real "good 
old days," when people like my grandfather HAD to build/repair stuff 
like furniture and TV's because they couldn't afford it. I'm not 
broke, I just can't afford the "luxury" of building a fabulous kit, 
or lots of more modest kits. I'd have to bung up the front panels 
anyway, because the first thing I would do is start adding inputs, 
attenuators, another LFO, etc.

I want, nay need, working designs I can modify. For my OWN PERSONAL 
USE. I'm not the least bit interested in experimenting with 
"marketing", because I know it's a complete waste of my time.


[ranting portion]
Something even worse situation has been mentioned--software. I 
absolutely REFUSE to buy software for an embedded controller that I 
can't modify. I've seen MCU-based gadgets with a zillion features and 
no open source code--I don't need a zillion features! This is DIY!! 
If I can't modify the software, what the hell can I modify??? 
Everybody wants something different as far as MIDI implementation is 
concerned so don't throw in the kitchen sink. Give me basic code I 
can add on to. I'll make it do what I need it to do myself. Leave the 
MIDI gadget market to the people who want to fool with marketing.

Just thought I'd start the next argument.
[end rant]


I've heard a lot of intelligent statements in the last couple of 
days. I always knew this list is where intelligent people hang out. 
Special thanks to Grant for clarifying his original remark--I KNEW he 
was joking, but I was AFRAID he wasn't.

Hopefully we scared off any glorps...


-- 
Terry Bowman, KA4HJH
"The Mac Doctor"