[gentoo-embedded] My OSCON Trip 2008

[Ned Ludd]

So I was at OSCON all last week. And I got to meet some really cool
people etc. Got a free Tattoo of a PCB on my calf from the good folks
over at SourceForge during the CCA awards.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=446724308362598359

Made a $50 personal donation to the awesome Open Source Labs.
http://osuosl.org 

There was not a lot of embedded outside of the avr, arduino platforms
that I really saw. But I got a chance to talk with Vik Olliver and see
the really cool projects like the RepRap http://reprap.org in action and
making use of the arduino platform.

So I picked up one of the arduino starer kits from the Make: booth and
will be joining the realm of playing with micro controllers like a few
others of you out there. 

The kit included the following items 
1 x Arduino Diecimila, Kit fully assembled
1 x ProtoShield un-assembled 
1 x Making Things Talk Book

I imagine they will become a bundle soon they will be selling directly
on the site.

http://www.makershed.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=MKSP1
http://www.makershed.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=MKAD6
http://www.makershed.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=0596510519

I then ran over to the radio shack and picked up the Parallax UltraSonic
PING sensor.
http://www.radioshack.com/sm-ultra-sonic-range-finder--pi-2909789.html

Also picked up a DIY Design Electronics Kit from Make: have have nearly
completed all of the projects in the accompanying book.

I'm not quite sure what I'm going to build yet . But.. Hey I'm having
fun. The chances of whatever I might do being 'solar' powered are pretty
high.. 

After the show at the "BeerForge" a sponsored event by the OSL among
others, I got a chance to meet one of the developers behind the BUG
http://www.linuxjournal.com/issue/172 where we discussed making Gentoo
Embedded a suitable/supported platform for development of the device.
"He Who lurks on this list" :)

I also got to meet one of our own Gentoo Embedded users who is working
on a Robot called W.A.L.T.E.R which I filmed about a 100M of till my
tiny camera's flash filled up. http://linbsd.net/~solar/pict0008.asf
One thing I have in common with the RobotGuy is that we are both
developing using the really cool NailKit's from TinCanTools.
http://www.tincantools.com/product.php?productid=16143
His blog site is http://www.thedynaplex.info/serendipity/


I'm sure there are lots of things I'm forgetting but I just thought I'd
share..

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SideNote: 
Anybody planning on attending LWE this year in San Francisco? Gentoo
wont be doing a booth this year but we can probably arrange an embedded
BoF..