The encryption prevents a small guy from making a copy with his DVD-ROM or something. (Note that current prices of recordable media make it economically unfeasible anyway).
Real pirates don't use DVD-ROMs. They stamp aluminium disks, much like legitimate publishers.
Multiplex everything via sensor output. (Yes, you can program the sensor port to do output). And you can still use this port for passive input I believe.
[Method 5]
Just add another RCX, make 'em talk via built-in IR.
Here is a BasicStamp FAQ. Below is my executive summary.
The $35 version has 256 bytes of EEPROM (program memory), 7 word registers (data memory) and 8 I/O lines that can drive a LED (barely). The $59 version has 16K of EEPROM, 16 registers and 63 bytes scratchpad RAM. In order to drive a motor, you need extra circuitry. It is programmable with, well, BASIC.
Mindstorms RCX brick has 16K EEPROM, 32K RAM, 3 outputs that can drive Lego motors directly, 3 I/O lines that can read sensors (some of them are active sensors, so there are I/O lines rather than just input lines), a built-in IR port, an LCD, a buzzer, and a couple of buttons. (And of course a Lego-compatible case.) It costs around $100. (The complete Mindstorms kit is about $200). RCX is programmable with any number of languages, including regular C and C++.
The Handy Board has 32K RAM (upgradeable to 64K, and of course one can build a serially addressable memory too), 4 outputs that can drive DC motors, two servo outputs, 16x2 character LCD, two user-programmable buttons, one knob, piezo beeper, 7 analog and 9 digital sensor inputs, and an IR port. And, above and beyond everything, an open, documented design. It costs $200 to $300 built and tested, and is available from any number of manufacturers. PCBs are available too, cheaply. It runs Interactive C (a bytecode-interpreted C variant) and some varianto of Java.
There is an expansion board for Handy Board too (10 analog inputs, 4 inputs for active Lego sensors, 9 digital outputs, 6 servo outputs, and general prototyping area).
The keys were derived by reverse-engineering the Xing player, which is alledgedly illegal. Now, what if somebody brute-forces these same keys? From what I've heared it is perfectly feasible (key length is 40, which is tractablle, but because the chifer is weak it's possible in just 2^25 time, which is pretty easy). There are 409 keys.
How they would prosecute that?
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but kinda big. I always wanted a computer in a portable-CD-player-like case. It should look like normal CD player. Open the lid, and find LCD screen and tiny keyboard inside. Or better two LCD screens, one or both of them being touchscreens. [silly, laugh]I've heared that XFree86 can do multihead stuff now[/silly].
Of course there SHOULD be a CD player/CDROM inside as well. And probably a GSM phone, too.
The algorithm of decoding is known. The keys are (supposedly) secret. There are about 400 of 40-bit keys. They all will fit in 58 lines of 80-column text, which is about one legal format sheet.
One can put some on business cards, different bunch on each card. Heck, tattoo them on your forehead! Will a court restrain you from meeting people face to face, or order you to remove the tattoo?
Older motors are bigger, less powerful and less efficient, meaning shorter battery life. Other than that they are ok. (I know because I tried to add an old motor to a car designed for the new one, and the thing couldn't move!) So get the new motor if you are serious.
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Lego probably figured out that there is absolutely no demand (no as in none, zero, zilch, zippo) for a Linux version of their crippled ^W novice-oriented programming environment right now. When/if Linux and BSD become widespread household items, they will change their mind. So will everybody else.
Why they don't produce an environment (for any OS) that is not intentionally crippled? Maybe they think that the market segment that demands such environment is better served by open source tools, and competing with these tools would not be cost effective for Lego. I don't know.
Moderate this down (-1, You Post Too Much, Get Back To Work) --
Seriously, I want four of them, at least. I'd build an ass-kicking Beowulf cluster^W^W^W^W^W^Wa cool robot with distributed brains.
And I want an expansion board to control more motors and sensors. And small-size, low-power motors that can be easily converted to servos. Looks like time to refresh my soldering skills (which never were great).
Do you read stuff? There are alternative programming environments for Mindstorms/RCX, created by enthusiasts. Why should Lego bother and produce a solution for 1001 hardware/OS combinations, if people are willing to do that job for free?
Look here for a comprehensive list of available RCX tools.
As for aiming at the wrong market -- their attitude slowly changes. They start marketing for adults. Look here and here (front and back sides of their printed ad).
Try to babelfish one of their pages. Amazing! From the translation (emphaisis mine):
Touchphone is an intelligent telephone, an agenda electronic, one telephone secretariat, a manager of electronic mail, the ideal vehicle in order to be
annoying immediately in Internet. Touchphone is the synthesis of worst electronic expressed in a studied product in order to facilitate one simple, personal, fast communication and without limits.
I have a videocard and a soundcard which are both fairly common ISA PNP cards. isapnptools recognizes them all fine. Why on earth installers don't use this information to configure X and sound? Why they insist on asking me stupid questions about clockchips and how much video memory I have?
Slashdot Mirror
Now, if they do several challenges, and need to check >90% every time, that would be strange.
Moderate this down (-1, You Took Your Probability Classes More Than 10 Years Ago)
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Real pirates don't use DVD-ROMs. They stamp aluminium disks, much like legitimate publishers.
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- VMWare......1 pcs....$299
- Windows 95..1 pcs....$199
- Total................$498
DSL is currently $60/month = $720/year. Looks like big savings to me...Moderate this down (-1, DSL Is Not Available In Your Area Anyway)
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Multiplex everything via sensor output. (Yes, you can program the sensor port to do output). And you can still use this port for passive input I believe.
[Method 5]
Just add another RCX, make 'em talk via built-in IR.
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The $35 version has 256 bytes of EEPROM (program memory), 7 word registers (data memory) and 8 I/O lines that can drive a LED (barely). The $59 version has 16K of EEPROM, 16 registers and 63 bytes scratchpad RAM. In order to drive a motor, you need extra circuitry. It is programmable with, well, BASIC.
Mindstorms RCX brick has 16K EEPROM, 32K RAM, 3 outputs that can drive Lego motors directly, 3 I/O lines that can read sensors (some of them are active sensors, so there are I/O lines rather than just input lines), a built-in IR port, an LCD, a buzzer, and a couple of buttons. (And of course a Lego-compatible case.) It costs around $100. (The complete Mindstorms kit is about $200). RCX is programmable with any number of languages, including regular C and C++.
The Handy Board has 32K RAM (upgradeable to 64K, and of course one can build a serially addressable memory too), 4 outputs that can drive DC motors, two servo outputs, 16x2 character LCD, two user-programmable buttons, one knob, piezo beeper, 7 analog and 9 digital sensor inputs, and an IR port. And, above and beyond everything, an open, documented design. It costs $200 to $300 built and tested, and is available from any number of manufacturers. PCBs are available too, cheaply. It runs Interactive C (a bytecode-interpreted C variant) and some varianto of Java.
There is an expansion board for Handy Board too (10 analog inputs, 4 inputs for active Lego sensors, 9 digital outputs, 6 servo outputs, and general prototyping area).
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Good you reminded me. I need to buy some diapers...hopefully they still have them in stores...local public is paranoid...
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How they would prosecute that?
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Of course there SHOULD be a CD player/CDROM inside as well. And probably a GSM phone, too.
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One can put some on business cards, different bunch on each card. Heck, tattoo them on your forehead! Will a court restrain you from meeting people face to face, or order you to remove the tattoo?
Moderate this down (-1, Silly)
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Why they don't produce an environment (for any OS) that is not intentionally crippled? Maybe they think that the market segment that demands such environment is better served by open source tools, and competing with these tools would not be cost effective for Lego. I don't know.
Moderate this down (-1, You Post Too Much, Get Back To Work)
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MEEEEE TOOOO
[AOL MODE OFF]
Seriously, I want four of them, at least. I'd build an ass-kicking Beowulf cluster^W^W^W^W^W^Wa cool robot with distributed brains.
And I want an expansion board to control more motors and sensors. And small-size, low-power motors that can be easily converted to servos. Looks like time to refresh my soldering skills (which never were great).
Moderate this down (-1, Childish)
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Look here for a comprehensive list of available RCX tools.
As for aiming at the wrong market -- their attitude slowly changes. They start marketing for adults. Look here and here (front and back sides of their printed ad).
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- Everybody knows about more evil.
- Interesting results are brought by crappy office suite, as well as by crappy os and crappy software in general.
- Guess where it'll land with bill the borg?
- But try bloated browser for a change.
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Is it difficult? How much time an average person must spend with the form? An average geek? Moderate this down (-1, Invent-the-reason-why)
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Umm, really (-1, Redundant). Sorry.
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Oh wait... You probably mean those impersonators, not the real thing.
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