Slashdot Mirror
Makers
James Alguire writes "Anyone who's tinkered with LEGOs, Lincoln Logs, or an Erector Set knows the
thrill of turning ideas into something tangible. Even if all you've ever done
is assemble IKEA furniture, you've felt the satisfaction of turning a collection
of parts into a functional object with your own two hands. Makers: All Kinds of People Making Amazing Things In Garages, Basements, and Backyards
by Bob Parks, and published by O'Reilly,
celebrates the basic human desire to create, to nail together two things that
have never been nailed together before and see what it does. While I have worked
in construction, built computers from scratch and done my share of soldering,
I still felt a sense of wonder after reading about the 76 projects outlined
in this book." Read the rest of James's review.
Makers: All Kinds of People Making Amazing Things In Their Backyard, Basement or Garage
author
Bob Parks
pages
184
publisher
O'Reilly
rating
8/10
reviewer
James Alguire
ISBN
0-596-10188-0
summary
Makers profiles 91 people from around the planet, from high school students to dedicated scientists who have cobbled together a remarkable array of home built devices. Some are answers specific needs, like Zach Radding's automated parts dispenser powered by a personal computer; or to further scientific discovery, like Dan Bowen and Mike Coffey's low cost high-altitude weather balloon and tracking package. Some, like Bathsheba Grossman's sculptures, printed from digital CAD files to metal, and Owen White's computer controlled laser cutter, bridge art and science. Others, including Tom Chudleigh's spherical wooden treehouses, or Matty Sallin's alarm clock, that wakes the sleeper by cooking bacon, merely fulfill some puckish desire. All the projects reveal the ingenuity, skill, foolishness, risk and passion humans are capable of in pursuit of their dreams.
Each profile identifies the "Maker", their profession, geographic location, the cost of the project being profiled, the amount of time the project took to complete and a web site where more information about the project can be found, followed by a description of the project, the process of creation, the technology used, the reasons for doing it, including pithy comments from the makers themselves. Bob Parks' writing is fresh and crisp and each vignette provides insight into how to think a little sideways about technology.
The concept for Makers grew out of the success of O'reilly's quarterly do-it-yourself (DIY) magazine, Make: Technology on Your Time. The publication provides recipes for modding, tweaking or reworking personal technology, and profiles of DIY people and their clever contraptions.
The book provides an interesting mix of cool gadgets to consider; from Douglas Repetto's motorized table that emulates the movements of a baby horse, and Kelly Dobson's voice activated blenders, that respond to their own language, to several "don't try this at home" devices like Richard Flanagan's jet engine powered go-kart (up to 60 miles per hour), Matthew Stiger's washtub Tesla coil (it shoots 7-foot sparks), or Richard Hull's homemade nuclear fusor (that's right your neighbor could be experimenting with nuclear fusion in his garage). I was surprised by the number of projects that were constructed from recycled components, many scrounged from devices on hand, purchased cheaply on eBay, or dug out of dumpsters.
Two of my favorites from the book are a machine that solves Rubik's Cubes (in about 10-minutes) built entirely from LEGOs by J.P. Brown, and probably the most poignant profile in the book, Sathya Jeganathan, a physician in India, improvised baby warmers, built using standard light bulbs for about $100 replacing expensive modern warmers costing $4000 that are difficult to maintain. Using the improvised warmers has cut infant mortality in Sathya's hospital by 50%.
Makers: All Kinds of People Making Amazing Things In Garages, Basements, and Backyards is a compact hardcover book that would be at home on any geek's coffee table. The profiles are brief but thought provoking, and the whole effect provides a new view into the serious and whimsical aspects of technology. After reading this book you will definitely look at old appliances and electronics with a different eye. Personally, I would like to have seen more step-by-step photos for many of the projects, but the included images and diagrams are high quality and give you a good impression of the gadgets. I also had problems with the text in the maker summaries, at the top of each profile. It was printed in a smaller typeface than may be comfortable for some and the light blue ink was difficult to read in some lighting situations. One of the best features is the URL listed in each profile where the reader can get even more information about the projects. If you like to tinker with technology then definitely check this book out. and if you can't get enough go to the Make Magazine's online site for even more do-it-yourself techno-hacking.
You can purchase Makers: All Kinds of People Making Amazing Things In Their Backyard, Basement or Garage from bn.com. Slashdot welcomes readers' book reviews -- to see your own review here, read the book review guidelines, then visit the submission page.
Makers profiles 91 people from around the planet, from high school students to dedicated scientists who have cobbled together a remarkable array of home built devices. Some are answers specific needs, like Zach Radding's automated parts dispenser powered by a personal computer; or to further scientific discovery, like Dan Bowen and Mike Coffey's low cost high-altitude weather balloon and tracking package. Some, like Bathsheba Grossman's sculptures, printed from digital CAD files to metal, and Owen White's computer controlled laser cutter, bridge art and science. Others, including Tom Chudleigh's spherical wooden treehouses, or Matty Sallin's alarm clock, that wakes the sleeper by cooking bacon, merely fulfill some puckish desire. All the projects reveal the ingenuity, skill, foolishness, risk and passion humans are capable of in pursuit of their dreams.
Each profile identifies the "Maker", their profession, geographic location, the cost of the project being profiled, the amount of time the project took to complete and a web site where more information about the project can be found, followed by a description of the project, the process of creation, the technology used, the reasons for doing it, including pithy comments from the makers themselves. Bob Parks' writing is fresh and crisp and each vignette provides insight into how to think a little sideways about technology.
The concept for Makers grew out of the success of O'reilly's quarterly do-it-yourself (DIY) magazine, Make: Technology on Your Time. The publication provides recipes for modding, tweaking or reworking personal technology, and profiles of DIY people and their clever contraptions.
The book provides an interesting mix of cool gadgets to consider; from Douglas Repetto's motorized table that emulates the movements of a baby horse, and Kelly Dobson's voice activated blenders, that respond to their own language, to several "don't try this at home" devices like Richard Flanagan's jet engine powered go-kart (up to 60 miles per hour), Matthew Stiger's washtub Tesla coil (it shoots 7-foot sparks), or Richard Hull's homemade nuclear fusor (that's right your neighbor could be experimenting with nuclear fusion in his garage). I was surprised by the number of projects that were constructed from recycled components, many scrounged from devices on hand, purchased cheaply on eBay, or dug out of dumpsters.
Two of my favorites from the book are a machine that solves Rubik's Cubes (in about 10-minutes) built entirely from LEGOs by J.P. Brown, and probably the most poignant profile in the book, Sathya Jeganathan, a physician in India, improvised baby warmers, built using standard light bulbs for about $100 replacing expensive modern warmers costing $4000 that are difficult to maintain. Using the improvised warmers has cut infant mortality in Sathya's hospital by 50%.
Makers: All Kinds of People Making Amazing Things In Garages, Basements, and Backyards is a compact hardcover book that would be at home on any geek's coffee table. The profiles are brief but thought provoking, and the whole effect provides a new view into the serious and whimsical aspects of technology. After reading this book you will definitely look at old appliances and electronics with a different eye. Personally, I would like to have seen more step-by-step photos for many of the projects, but the included images and diagrams are high quality and give you a good impression of the gadgets. I also had problems with the text in the maker summaries, at the top of each profile. It was printed in a smaller typeface than may be comfortable for some and the light blue ink was difficult to read in some lighting situations. One of the best features is the URL listed in each profile where the reader can get even more information about the projects. If you like to tinker with technology then definitely check this book out. and if you can't get enough go to the Make Magazine's online site for even more do-it-yourself techno-hacking.
You can purchase Makers: All Kinds of People Making Amazing Things In Their Backyard, Basement or Garage from bn.com. Slashdot welcomes readers' book reviews -- to see your own review here, read the book review guidelines, then visit the submission page.
No mention of teledildonics, hombuilt jet engines, or hombrewing, but still looks neat nonetheless.
Zhrodague.net - I do projects and stuff too.
I get no satisfaction out of building that shitty IKEA furniture. 5 hours to of tinkering to get destroyed the first time you move...stupid desk.
/* oops I accidentally made a comment, sorry */
If you're going to do a book review, at least title it as such!
aka: "Book Review: Makers"
Those of us who use RSS would like to know.
"MY APOCALYPTIC TENOR HAS NOT BEEN DISPELLED!" - T-Rex, qwantz.com
I wonder if you have to assemble the pages into an entire book before you read it. ;-)
Stiny! Get me a danish!
Here is a site with many books that tell you how make all kinds of fun gadgets.
I have a VET who says that surgeons love to work with their hands, that's why their hobbies include woodworking. Which now makes sense. Here in Atlanta, in one of the most upscale neighborhoods, is a shop that sells - you guessed it - woodworking tools and machines.
How this applies: building stuff doesn't necessarily mean that your kid is going to be laying pipe for a living. (Considering the off-shoring issues, that may not be a bad career - just wait, there'll be a renaissance in the trades for a career) but it may lead him to develop his motor skills to become a surgeon, vet, etc....
Accurate Spellign is purly by accident.
celebrates the basic human desire to create, to nail together two things that have never been nailed together before and see what it does.
This comes to mind in a Shatner voice: "To glue.....what.....no man.....has....glued.....before!"
Table-ized A.I.
While we're at it, let's pimp the website too. http://www.makezine.com/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Tilden
Mark used to work at the University of Waterloo before they stupidly managed to lose him. Pathetic. Anyway, Mark used to build his robots entirely out of recycled parts. His work definately inspired my own efforts. For instance, he could re-program the chips in musical greeting cards and use them as processors in his robots. My favorite story has him presenting at a conference. He took one of his little robots, crumpled it up in his hands and put it on an overhead projector. It then unfolded itself and walked away. There aren't a lot of people I'm completely in awe of but he's definitely one.
He was very generous with his time. I wonder how many kids got their start in robotics because of him.
...celebrates the basic human desire to create, to nail together two things that have never been nailed together before...
That's what I tried telling the twins, but would they listen?
Be a real patriot: Question authority. Think for yourself. Formulate your own conclusions.
If this book is a metaphor for man striding forward, in all his/her creativeness, and glowing potential, then TV reality shows provide the lactic acid and procrastination.
In post Patriot Act America, the library books scan you.
"the basic human desire to create, to nail together two things that have never been nailed together before and see what it does."
I put together two things that looked like they fit, sometimes refered to as "nailing", to see what would happen. What happened was a third thing running around the house that took up all my spare resources. Totally worth it though, 'cause I've made 2 more things since then.
There are 01 kinds of cars in the world. The General Lee, and everything else.
After all, the story that we've all been spoon-feed is that "noone has an incentive to invent without patents", and that "all the inventors would be dying and starving in the streets" without them? Hmmmm.
So far I've received 2 issues and I'm a little disappointed. The first issue was much better but the latest seesm to lack substance. Too much time is spent profiling elite "makers" in their high castles and not on cool crazy projects. I find far more interesting things online than in their magazine. At least it's easier to take a copy of Make into the can with you.
While I have worked in construction, built computers from scratch and done my share of soldering,
Making a computer from scratch has always sounded like fun.
I'm assuming there are now inexpensive ways to print a multi-layer circuit board, and people no longer wire-wrap chips to a breadboard. However, I've always wondered about firmware and peripherals and compilers and operating systems and the like -- how long does it take to write the software to even get something that will boot off media?