NodeBots Session

[mikeal]

What do you think about the viability of a workshopper for hardware?

We'd have to have a minimal list of required hardware to make it through the course. The good thing about that is that once I have the list I can buy them in bulk rather than as kits and we can give one to every attendee.

I think we'd also get a lot more people going home and really doing things if they left with not just the hardware but a dozen or so workshopper challenges to complete.

Thoughts? @rockbot @rwaldron

[rwaldron]

The workshop challenge part sounds good.

By the time we list out all the things one would need, we're basically talking about kits. @rockbot what do you think?

[rwaldron]

Since there's been no response I don't really know what to do here. I'm not really sure what is meant by "workshopper".

@rockbot help?

[rvagg]

@rwaldron http://nodeschool.io style interactive terminal application that steps you through a list of exercises of increasing difficulty. You'd need some way of connecting it to serialport and verifying submissions even if that means running tests against their code with mocks for the tricky bits. See workshopper. I can help coming up with the tricky bits of making some kind of connection between the terminal application and the code they need to run & verify if you need.

[rwaldron]

Perhaps I've completely misunderstood you, but are you suggesting that we use mocks instead og having attendees actually a build a tangible thing and learn how to control it with code?

[rvagg]

@rwaldron not at all but you're going to need to verify that code is correct at some point, so you'll need to think in terms of unit tests and be able to provide feedback where their code isn't quite what you were after.

[mikeal]

we had considered the honor system for some use cases. just asking a question like "Is the LED blinking?" since verifying that the actual hardware is doing that thing would be challenging.

[rwaldron]

@reconbot will know what to do.

[rockbot]

@rwaldron - @substack and I talked a bit about this in Issue #7 - there will be some elements of hardware, plus some elements of software. I was thinking about having incremental levels of difficulty, wherein each workshopper level includes a parts list and a circuit diagram/picture.

for example:

1. plug in an LED and make it strobe with led.strobe(1000)
2. add a button, to make the led turn on when the button is down
3. add a servo
4. attach multiple servos together with popsicle sticks and make something cool happen
5. take a playstation controller and make a boebot move around (or something)
6. etc, etc, etc

thoughts?

[rwaldron]

After speaking with @rockbot at jsconf I'd like to nominate @olizilla as the nodebots session leader, with Raquel and I as support. Why am I writing this here? Because https://github.com/tableflip/nodebot-workshop is awesome and it's his doing :)

[othiym23]

I literally said "oh cooool" out loud as soon as I saw that page. This seems like an excellent fit for the conference!

[rwaldron]

I'm glad you agree!

[rwaldron]

@mikeal what do you think about my proposal above?

[mikeal]

I'm all for it, we need to get ahold of him soon if we're flying him in from London. Do you want to do it Rick?

[rwaldron]

Sure thing! Let's get him added to this repo (if not already)

[mikeal]

Added :)

[rockbot]

I think we'd be remiss if we didn't also add @alanshaw, given that he and @olizilla are the dynamic duo that made nodebot-workshop.

If this means I need to give up my spot, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

[rwaldron]

If this means I need to give up my spot, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

Considering the significant additional cost of flying two people from England, I would also volunteer my spot if it meant that Alan and Oli could both be present. I feel very confident in their ability to be excellent leaders :)

[olizilla]

MUCH EXCITEMENT! We're totally up for it! I can't really do it without the @alanshaw, as @rockbot says, it was the both of us. If we need split air fares, muck out the bobcat hutch or clean dishes to make it happen, we'll do it.

[rwaldron]

I can't really do it without the @alanshaw

@mikeal @olizilla

In that case, consider my spot available, with love <3

[mikeal]

Added alanshaw. Please book your flights ASAP :) The staff schedule is here for reference https://github.com/mikeal/nodeconf2014/issues/29

[olizilla]

PRIME DIRECTIVE 4 - DO NOT TAKE THE PLACE OF NODEBOT CORE TEAM MEMBERS

[rockbot]

@olizilla, @alanshaw: keep doing what you're doing and you two will become nodebot core team members ;-)

@mikeal let me know if I need to find another way to get to nodeconf (happy to be general staff, etc)

[mikeal]

@rockbot I'm sure I can find something for you to do :)

[rockbot]

:thumbsup:

[rwaldron]

@olizilla @alanshaw as far as I'm concerned, you are nodebot core team <3

[alanshaw]

Such kind words. I'm unbelievably excited and honoured to be a part of this!

<3 you all!

[rvagg]

@rockbot perhaps it'd be appropriate for you to switch over to help @timoxley with the npm workshop?

[mikeal]

@olizilla @alanshaw please! buy your flights and any hotel bookings today and send me a receipt :)

[rockbot]

I'm cool with helping on whatever :-) Will ping @timoxley re: npm workshop.

[olizilla]

@rockbot! Egads! No disassemble! Can we keep you on nodebots?

@mikeal on it, will send you the details today.

[olizilla]

@mikeal flights are booked, we land on the 1st and head back on the 9th. Any recommendations on places to stay? We'd be happy to crash at someone's place if anyone has the space.

In other news... the Nodebots workshopper was only possible due to the the awesome code spelunking of @achingbrain: https://github.com/rwaldron/johnny-five/pull/233, https://github.com/thlorenz/proxyquire/pull/32 ...he's a founder member of Nodebots of London, a maker of terrifying cat robots and a jvm.js mad scientist. So in the spirit of give an inch, take mile, I'd like to nominate @achingbrain as a mentor... @alanshaw and I will gladly split the costs of his flight if it's an issue.

[mikeal]

we're sort of filling up on mentors. I actually thought that we were finished until this development.

I was figuring that flights and accommodations would be about 2K for each of you (4K total). If you want to split that between 3 of you I can open up another spot in the camp (i think i held enough back).

[olizilla]

@mikeal yes please. If it's possible, then we're happy to split the budget, and cover the difference. We'll book an airbnb over the weekend. Shout if you need anything from us.

[mikeal]

Just the paypal info for sending ya'll reimbursement :) Oh, and we're going to need to get you registered for the conference. All public tickets are sold out so I'll need to figure out where we have open space that isn't public.

[alanshaw]

@mikeal could you add @achingbrain to the repo? Thank you!

[mikeal]

added :)

[alanshaw]

Oh, if anyone wants to have a go at the nodebot workshop it's here: https://www.npmjs.org/package/nodebot-workshop

You don't need an arduino to play!