Job Placement Service / Tech Support

[Bronurstomp]

How about an online Syntax checker? Or something that could at least count the amount of code you used and suggest a suitable PIC for the job? Or perhaps let you know if what you've done will even fit into the PIC you specify? I'm not asking for FREE answers, just a sanity check. I would like to know if what I'm doing will fit into the PIC I've chosen so I can go on and lay out a PCB. I'm thinking of something similar to Advanced Circuits' DFM service that will analize your Gerbers and tell you if you have DRC problems.
Something like that would be very helpful while waiting for your development bundle to get through the purchacing department. While I wait all I have is Notepad and the PicBasicPro manual and the PIC datasheets.
Besides that, I would add that most of those that use these forums do what others CAN'T, and therefore get what others only wish for... job satisfaction

[rxforspeed]

I love the idea that was mentioned about online courses for teaching PBP. I have only found one company that actually teaches PBC and PBP, but it's a three-day course and you have to be present at their current location to participate. Oh yea, the cost of enrollment in the course is only $1995 per student...Here's the link: http://www.rcgresearch.com/

I would be all for an online course that taught PBP! I've bought numerous books, read the manual twice from cover to cover, and have even had the local library order books I don't have so I can read them and decide if they're worth puchasing for myself. I'm sure your current income situation is pretty demanding with your time and energy, but just imagine if you, Darrel, and possibly others with a lot of experience in PBP programming and HTML got together and developed a complete online course on PBP. I know it will initially take quite a bit of time and effort to develop such a course, but imagine the rewards within the next few years afterwards. Charge $500-$1000USD or more for enrollment, send out a certified "degree" or "diploma" to passing participants, and answer a few questions from them during the course if need be and you'll pretty much be set. If you design the course yourself, you should really only have to pay a fee for hosting of the site and whatever percentage of the net profits to others that have assisted in development. I'm sure that microEngineering Labs would be more than willing to list your online course under it's "Developer's Resources" section, and the forum owners here would most likely be happy to help in advertisement of it also.

This really could be your ticket to a very comfortable retirement. If you do decide to do this, you should offer a hefty discount to forum members (like me) who have been encouraging this...Or let a couple of forum members (pick me, pick me!) test and contribute editorial and technical reviews and/or corrections to the first version of the course (I'd make an excellent grammical and punctuation editor)...

I'd volunteer my time (just like you have yours to helping members of this forum) to help with whatever I could-ideas, suggestions, editing, etc. if this were to become a reality. At this time, there are no competitors that I know of (at least for online courses, anyway), and as somebody else had pointed out-we're evolving to online courses for almost everything these days anyway. I would really love to see this develop-think it over and imagine how your retirement would play out...

-Adam Collins

[T.Jackson]

You'll have trouble filling seats with "serious contenders" unless it's actually accredited by a recognized institute.

Unless you're holding a bachelors degree in education (or similar) I would never bother seriously considering it.

[rxforspeed]

You'll have trouble filling seats with "serious contenders" unless it's actually accredited by a recognized institute.

Unless you're holding a bachelors degree in education (or similar) I would never bother seriously considering it.

Of course I don't currently have the knowledge, resources, or accreditation to attempt it myself-that's why I was just trying to encourage what I thought was a great idea to some of the PBP gurus on this forum. I'm pretty sure that RCG's course doesn't hand out college credits to passing participants-it would really be for individuals and employers that have a need for a thourough understanding of the PBP language and some real-life uses and better information about programming PICs over what can be found in the current books available on the market today about the subject. A couple or few gurus from this forum with a bit of HTML (and preferrably, like you said Mr. Jackson, educational) experience could get together and design a course that could teach students/participants the basics of PBP and real-world examples/uses of PIC MCUs that could be completed at the student's leisure.

An online course would be preferrable to many, and could be completed at their own pace without the need to take time off work, provide travel and hotel accomidations, food allowance, etc. by having to physically appear at a predetermined location that could be hundreds or thousands of miles away from their home and families. Like I said, I'd be up for a similar course no matter how much PBP experience I have (or don't have) for the simple fact that you can NEVER know EVERYTHING there is to know about ANYTHING. There's ALWAYS more to learn. When you get to the point to where you think you know it all, that's the beginning of the end. I'm sure that there are quite a few tips and tricks some of these gurus could show us that could save most of us more than just a few headaches and a few bytes of ROM...

It's just an idea at this moment, but I'd gladly be one of the first paying students to learn all the course could teach me...

[T.Jackson]

Everything in this world has politics, PBP is no exception. I see a very bleak future for some.

[rxforspeed]

Everything in this world has politics, PBP is no exception. I see a very bleak future for some.

I was re-reading this thread and had discovered that YOU, Mr. Jackson, had first mentioned this idea back in August, and I still think the idea is excellent... I understand that it's GOT to be more complicated than I'm picturing it, otherwise it would've been done already. Either that or there's no market for it. And I'm sure it's a mixture of both...

I've led a very interesting life as of so far, but I'm still young (if you consider almost 29 young) and there's a great deal of things that I still don't understand, politics being one of many of them. I'm honestly not trying to argue with you, I just got a bit excited and was hoping to see this course become a reality. If not, and I can afford the time (and tuition, transportation, food, etc.) within the next four years as I'm working on my BSEE (Electrical Engineering) or after graduation, then I may take RCG's course. Of course, I'll make sure to thoroughly investigate it in every way, shape, and form possible to make sure I'll actually learn something not only useful, but valuable from it. I was just trying to state in my previous posts that everything I've heard, read, and seen about Darrel Taylor and many other members (or "gurus") of this forum that I wouldn't hesitate to enroll in a course offered by any or all of them...

You've hurt my feelings by stating that you "see a very bleak future for" me. I had just been commendated by ALL of the administrators at the local community college for the scores I'd pounded out only a couple of hours ago on my "Compass" test (college placement test here in Kentucky). The words "unbelievable", "genius", and similar up-lifting statements were thrown around when referencing my English and Reading scores. I was in the best "happy-go-lucky" feeling I've felt in quite some time-until stumbling upon your last post...

I promise to drop the subject-until somebody else mentions it, OK? I don't enjoy arguements and confrontations, so I won't bring it up again. I apologize for continuing to encourage it; I had just hoped it would actually be as easy as I was envisioning it and profitable enough for it to really be a consideration for some of the "gurus" here. Wishful thinking on my part, but it seems the only thing I had accomplished was cramming my foot into my mouth...

Anyway, Mr. Jackson, I sincerely hope that neither you nor any other member of this forum think I'm an outright idiot. You have a LOT more experience than me in not only programming these PIC MCUs, but a great deal of other areas also, I'm sure, (and it sounds like the accreditation to prove it from other posts) so I would be HONORED to be able to call you a friend, teacher, mentor, ect. instead of anything even remotely resembling the opposite of those. If nothing else, I'm a quick learner-so I would GREATLY appreciate your input, help, suggestions, and constructive criticism on any and all future topics that you could (and would be willing to) help me out with-especially while I'm still "learning the ropes" of PBP...

Again, sorry to seem so hard-headed. Like I said, I was just a bit excited about the general idea that had been mentioned...Thanks in advance for your time and understanding...

Sincerely,
-Adam Collins

[mackrackit]

Hey Adam,

Do not worry about Trent, he means well. I think

I can only speak for myself, but I will bet many will agree. It is refreshing to have another newbe here that really wants to learn. I have a suspicion you will not be in the newbe category for long.

As far as the online classes go. I would like to see one setup by one of the gurus here too. I would be one of the first to sign up.

Bruce is working on a book, maybe he could create a course to go with it?

Keep doing what you are doing, seems to me you are on the right track.

[Archangel]

Everything in this world has politics, PBP is no exception. I see a very bleak future for some.

Grumpy though He may seem, Trent is correct, there is politics in everything. That's life, like it or not.<br> Adam, I do not believe he specified anyone, just for some. You are young, I gather, and that makes you a little unsettling to some of our more seasoned citizens, that's OK they will get used to you and you them, Personally I thought you might be running for office, judging from the length of some of your posts Hang in there Buddy.
JS

[T.Jackson]

My apologizes Adam.

You're in the minority, your future looks bright