I go down rabbit holes on Wiki following internal combustion tech for some reason.
-
An example are the 2 story tall oil tanker diesel engines that burn crude at like 60RPM, or rotary/Wankel engines and such. Sometimes I think I should have gone into some field where I was building physical things. I mean, I picked up software when I was little because I didn't have an income to keep supporting building frankenbikes and circuits, nor would they let me weld, but I had a computer. I build stuff. It's what I do. I'm a coder of circumstance. Why do you code?
Check out my IoT graphics library here: https://honeythecodewitch.com/gfx And my IoT UI/User Experience library here: https://honeythecodewitch.com/uix
Everything I built as a kid was a bit rubbishy because I didn't have the tools or materials to build professional-looking stuff. With code, I could build stuff that looked as good or even better than the professional efforts. PS - I "invented" the Deltic engine when I was about fourteen and then realised with huge sadness that it was impossible - one pair of pistons would always be moving in the same direction as each other. I still think that the Napier solution to that problem is one of the most imaginative pieces of engineering ever. There's an hypnotic animation at http://www.3d-meier.de/tut16/Napier/Ani1.html <°}}}>«<
-
An example are the 2 story tall oil tanker diesel engines that burn crude at like 60RPM, or rotary/Wankel engines and such. Sometimes I think I should have gone into some field where I was building physical things. I mean, I picked up software when I was little because I didn't have an income to keep supporting building frankenbikes and circuits, nor would they let me weld, but I had a computer. I build stuff. It's what I do. I'm a coder of circumstance. Why do you code?
Check out my IoT graphics library here: https://honeythecodewitch.com/gfx And my IoT UI/User Experience library here: https://honeythecodewitch.com/uix
-
An example are the 2 story tall oil tanker diesel engines that burn crude at like 60RPM, or rotary/Wankel engines and such. Sometimes I think I should have gone into some field where I was building physical things. I mean, I picked up software when I was little because I didn't have an income to keep supporting building frankenbikes and circuits, nor would they let me weld, but I had a computer. I build stuff. It's what I do. I'm a coder of circumstance. Why do you code?
Check out my IoT graphics library here: https://honeythecodewitch.com/gfx And my IoT UI/User Experience library here: https://honeythecodewitch.com/uix
As a kid I had two main obsessions: books and computers. By the time I was 10 I knew I wanted to be a programmer and writer. I'm also really into oddball tech and I spend a lot of time reading about that kind of thing too.
honey the codewitch wrote:
rotary/Wankel engines and such
That's an obsession of mine as well, along with vintage watches (especially the oddball ones, I have a whole collection of Accutrons). I drove an RX-7 and RX-8, I'm still sad about the demise of rotary sports cars.
-
An example are the 2 story tall oil tanker diesel engines that burn crude at like 60RPM, or rotary/Wankel engines and such. Sometimes I think I should have gone into some field where I was building physical things. I mean, I picked up software when I was little because I didn't have an income to keep supporting building frankenbikes and circuits, nor would they let me weld, but I had a computer. I build stuff. It's what I do. I'm a coder of circumstance. Why do you code?
Check out my IoT graphics library here: https://honeythecodewitch.com/gfx And my IoT UI/User Experience library here: https://honeythecodewitch.com/uix
I compromised. I loved drawing and writing all kinds of fantasy...but none of that certifies a salary. So I became a computer engineer. Compromised by doing videogames... I soon discovered there was one thing that frustrates me more than writers block or not knowing what to doodle next...my source code mysteriously not compiling XD I can be a nazi about clean and elegant C code (throw in as many comments as you want, but you must be mindful of every kilobyte you waste in the executable)...but I think in the end, I still hate coding. It reminds me just how human I am and how totally inept I can be talking to this insanely inept and expensive calculator in front of me.
-
An example are the 2 story tall oil tanker diesel engines that burn crude at like 60RPM, or rotary/Wankel engines and such. Sometimes I think I should have gone into some field where I was building physical things. I mean, I picked up software when I was little because I didn't have an income to keep supporting building frankenbikes and circuits, nor would they let me weld, but I had a computer. I build stuff. It's what I do. I'm a coder of circumstance. Why do you code?
Check out my IoT graphics library here: https://honeythecodewitch.com/gfx And my IoT UI/User Experience library here: https://honeythecodewitch.com/uix
I was in my senior year (1978) of college learning to be an electrical engineer and I started reading Byte magazine. The articles on micro-processors were quite interesting so I decided to build a computer (z80 CPU). Bought an s100 bus case with back plane, power supply, CPU card and a display card (attaches to the TV). I wire wrapped a 4K RAM card and a dual serial port card. I had no programming language, only a simple monitor program (called Zapple). All of this was finished the day after my last final. I now started learning how to program the z80 (by the numbers) and spent the next 3 weeks learning the instruction set. When I got to my first job they asked me if I'd be will to work in the test department as opposed to where I originally hired for and I said yes. I figured I really didn't know squat and was going to learn something no mater where they put me. Well, low and behold, the test group manager found out I had my own computer and asked me if I wanted to work on a microprocessor controlled smoke detector tester. Was basically asking me if wanted to do my hobby at work! I ended up doing embedded programming for my whole career (retired now).
-
An example are the 2 story tall oil tanker diesel engines that burn crude at like 60RPM, or rotary/Wankel engines and such. Sometimes I think I should have gone into some field where I was building physical things. I mean, I picked up software when I was little because I didn't have an income to keep supporting building frankenbikes and circuits, nor would they let me weld, but I had a computer. I build stuff. It's what I do. I'm a coder of circumstance. Why do you code?
Check out my IoT graphics library here: https://honeythecodewitch.com/gfx And my IoT UI/User Experience library here: https://honeythecodewitch.com/uix
Why do I code? Because I get to design & build something that does a task that I want and need. For me it stated in 1959 with what was billed as a computer guided multi spindle drill press. It was a stretch to call this computer guided as the instructions were a inch wide paper spool that had holes punched in it to tell the drill what to do. The only reason I got the chance to manage this machine was because all the lathe operators kept tearing the paper instruction. The older fellow who was to teach me liked that I was eager to learn. Side Story I ask him why Diebold sent him to Illinois to unlock a Vault Door. After he told me to keep my mouth shut he said. "Diebold hired him because he robbed banks and knew how to break into their Vaults" After a number of years working for a Swiss Pharmaceutical Company (CIBA) I decided to go to Pharmacy School I took an elective class in computer programming BASIC on a DEC Writer. I think it was a PDP 11 I was hooked and bought a Apple /// when I graduated My best teacher was Apple Dayton a user group that not only taught new user's but published a floppy disk almost every month
-
An example are the 2 story tall oil tanker diesel engines that burn crude at like 60RPM, or rotary/Wankel engines and such. Sometimes I think I should have gone into some field where I was building physical things. I mean, I picked up software when I was little because I didn't have an income to keep supporting building frankenbikes and circuits, nor would they let me weld, but I had a computer. I build stuff. It's what I do. I'm a coder of circumstance. Why do you code?
Check out my IoT graphics library here: https://honeythecodewitch.com/gfx And my IoT UI/User Experience library here: https://honeythecodewitch.com/uix
I wanted to build things. Don't know why either. I started in the garage at 10 or 1973 building VW Bug Type 1 engines. Then moved on to the rest of the car, and then learned how to paint cars. Then I got a job working for Xerox fixing their garbage copiers, and saw these PC computers popping up everywhere, so I bought one, an IBM XT with a floppy drive in 1984. I quit Xerox, just got fed up with it in 1988, and started my own business as a communications contractor, building wire and cable infrastructure. I built my most of my stuff, even sheet metal components, where I bought sheet metal tools such as a bender, punches to make fiber optic connection boxes, cooling systems, brackets. And I built radio systems, including quick mount radio towers out of steel tubing. Got tired of it and wanted to go back to writing code, and haven't stopped since, I'm addicted to it. I'm also addicted to working on cars as well, replacing the cylinder head on my Ford Focus when COVID lock down started, and went through the entire car replacing all the rubber bushings for the suspension. I also love driving cars, and my need for speed is quite insatiable, and I miss my 1986 911 convertible. I bought a Porsche Macan GTS, and upgraded the brakes, and did my 40K maintenance on my own.
If it ain't broke don't fix it Discover my world at jkirkerx.com
-
An example are the 2 story tall oil tanker diesel engines that burn crude at like 60RPM, or rotary/Wankel engines and such. Sometimes I think I should have gone into some field where I was building physical things. I mean, I picked up software when I was little because I didn't have an income to keep supporting building frankenbikes and circuits, nor would they let me weld, but I had a computer. I build stuff. It's what I do. I'm a coder of circumstance. Why do you code?
Check out my IoT graphics library here: https://honeythecodewitch.com/gfx And my IoT UI/User Experience library here: https://honeythecodewitch.com/uix
-
An example are the 2 story tall oil tanker diesel engines that burn crude at like 60RPM, or rotary/Wankel engines and such. Sometimes I think I should have gone into some field where I was building physical things. I mean, I picked up software when I was little because I didn't have an income to keep supporting building frankenbikes and circuits, nor would they let me weld, but I had a computer. I build stuff. It's what I do. I'm a coder of circumstance. Why do you code?
Check out my IoT graphics library here: https://honeythecodewitch.com/gfx And my IoT UI/User Experience library here: https://honeythecodewitch.com/uix
To solve puzzles / problems, hoping to be a hero. I got to see big iron in a glass palace as an early teen, see a card sorter run, hear a multi-page burster run. I heard my dad solve OC7(s) and watch him design systems. I wanted a piece of that. I fell into an admin role, so most coding is in support of or extending functionality. Rabbit holes - Making and watching makers (mostly wood workers) Reddit & Pinterest eg. YouTube maker Blondihacks machining & building a steam engine (Pennsylvania A3 Switcher) YouTube category "idiots at work" Working on getting a 3d printer going and adding a laser to it, so will merge making and computing soon.
-
An example are the 2 story tall oil tanker diesel engines that burn crude at like 60RPM, or rotary/Wankel engines and such. Sometimes I think I should have gone into some field where I was building physical things. I mean, I picked up software when I was little because I didn't have an income to keep supporting building frankenbikes and circuits, nor would they let me weld, but I had a computer. I build stuff. It's what I do. I'm a coder of circumstance. Why do you code?
Check out my IoT graphics library here: https://honeythecodewitch.com/gfx And my IoT UI/User Experience library here: https://honeythecodewitch.com/uix
Then you'll probably enjoy this channel: [https://www.youtube.com/@EngineeringExplained\](https://www.youtube.com/@EngineeringExplained)
-
To solve puzzles / problems, hoping to be a hero. I got to see big iron in a glass palace as an early teen, see a card sorter run, hear a multi-page burster run. I heard my dad solve OC7(s) and watch him design systems. I wanted a piece of that. I fell into an admin role, so most coding is in support of or extending functionality. Rabbit holes - Making and watching makers (mostly wood workers) Reddit & Pinterest eg. YouTube maker Blondihacks machining & building a steam engine (Pennsylvania A3 Switcher) YouTube category "idiots at work" Working on getting a 3d printer going and adding a laser to it, so will merge making and computing soon.
bryanren wrote:
Rabbit holes - Making and watching makers
One I find fascinating is Allen Millyard. He builds his own 'bikes and engines out of other 'bikes and engines - mostly Kawasaki but others, too - in his home garage using hand tools and a couple of machines. So he has built a V12 out of a pair of Z1300 straight sixes, lots of straight sixes out of fours, a V-twin out of part of an aero engine, a V10 bike with a Dodge Viper motor ... you get the idea.