This week’s Soapbox is a little different. At Maker Faire I got a chance to meet a lot of people that I’ve only known via mailing lists or their work; one of them was Paul Stoffregen from PJRC. He’s the designer and developer behind the Teensy, one of my favorite USB-based microcontroller development systems. While chatting with Paul he mentioned there’s something pretty big Microsoft could do now for the maker community, especially now, as Microsoft is working on Windows 8. It’s a little insider-baseball, but anyone who has tried to install drivers on Windows 7 will know it’s not easy, more so if you’re doing something with USB or microcontrollers. It involves CDC. What’s CDC? CDC stands for “Communication Device Class” — it’s one of the default built-in USB interfaces provided by USB host drivers sitting on a computer. The fact that CDC is standardized means that you can plug any CDC devices into your Mac/Windows/Linux computer and they’ll know what to do. With Mac/Linux, they don’t even need a driver at all. For Windows, you don’t need a formal driver program but you do need an “INF” file — this is a little text description giving Windows a hint about the name and ID# of the CDC device you want to plug in. The CDC spec actually defines many types of communication devices. This conversation is specific to CDC’s “Abstract Control Model.” The reason this is so important is that nearly all hobby microcontrollers with USB use the CDC standard to send serial data back and forth, and it allows microcontrollers to be backwards compatible — just like the Arduino Uno looks pretty much the same to a computer as the Duemilanove. Same with the new Leonardo. The following is an overview from Paul, with notes from myself. Please post in the comments if you want to add more. And if you’re at Microsoft (there are tons of makers there!), please help us find the person who can make this happen.
The goal of this conversation is a high-quality user experience on Windows with CDC installation. For that to happen, someone within Microsoft, with the authority to add an INF which matches the USB class/subclass/protocol or a Microsoft-defined OS Descriptor, needs to understand this new developing trend towards CDC devices. Recently the “Maker Community” has experienced tremendous growth. Driven by the culture of innovation and sharing, it has become an ecosystem that is giving rise to numerous independent hardware vendors (IHVs). Windows currently has a poor initial user experience when installing these new hardware products. The vast majority are based on the USB Communications Class Abstract Control Model. Windows provides an “inbox” driver, but each IHV must provide an INF file to associate the driver with specific vendor and product IDs. Loading the INF file is an extra step with poor usability. By contrast, Mac OS X and Linux offer seamless installation, because those systems automatically load their drivers based on standard USB class/subclass/protocol ID numbers. On Windows 8 Customer Preview, the typical user experience is even worse, due to new INF signature requirements. There are two possible solutions: - Windows could provide an INF to automatically load its inbox driver. The “Compatible ID” is “USB\Class_02&SubClass_02&Prot_01″. This is the approach used by OS X and Linux.
- Microsoft could define an “OS Descriptor” for devices wishing to seamlessly associate with the inbox driver. OS Descriptors are documented here.
The specification from that page states in Appendix 1, “Microsoft reserves all other compatible and subcompatible ID values for future use. If you need an ID that is not on the current list, do not create one without prior approval from Microsoft.” I would love to see Windows users gain the same seamless installation experience currently enjoyed on Mac OS X and Linux when using these devices. I would be happy to assist with either approach. I can answer questions, provide INF files, provide actual hardware devices, and/or assist with testing. Please contact me by email, paul@pjrc.com, if I can be of any assistance.
— Paul Stoffregen
Unfortunately, there is a decade of not supporting driverless CDC in Windows. I’m sure there are reasons behind this, but the way that Mac and Linux handle CDC natively similar to HID is pretty nice. I asked a few people who are tinkering with the Windows 8 Release Preview to see what’s changed. Here’s one example of how the drivers are still handled: “Nvidia didn’t have drivers for my display, but I was able to reboot in ‘disable driver signing’ mode and install unsigned drivers instead. And when I re-rebooted, they stuck: Windows 8 appeared to actually be more lenient about driver signing than Windows 7 was, curiously enough.” So it’s a little better, but for makers doing work with microcontrollers, Mac and Linux are a better experience. If the maker movement was small, I would say it’s not in Microsoft’s best interest, but I can personally say having makers use your products can change an entire company. Just look at the Kinect — hackers and makers completely changed how Microsoft is selling and using one of their most important products. I’ve read that the new versions of Windows may not allow other operating system to run on the same hardware as Window 8 unless it’s a Microsoft OS. If that happens we’ll see more and more of an exodus to Linux and Macs. This CDC driver issue is another reason to consider a move as well. I’m hoping this gets the attention of the makers at Microsoft who want to embrace the engineering and hobbyist communities. Here’s where we could use everyone’s help. Post in the comments to show you’re interested in this change in Windows 8, and if you’re at Microsoft, help us talk to the person and group who could make this happen. Windows 7 provides a poor user experience, especially when compared to Mac and Linux automatic installation. Windows 8 is even worse when the INF is unsigned, requiring a special reboot to allow the INF installation, even though it only associates with an inbox driver. It’s not too late — Windows 8 isn’t shipping. Thanks!          
Are you a hackerspace member with an event you’d like to publicize? Send it to johnb@makezine.com or tweet me at @johnbaichtal and I’ll post it. Also feel free to subscribe to my hackerspaces Twitter list. Hackerspace Happenings runs weekly(ish).
The Power Racing Series Needs Your Help! 
Hackerspace favorite Power Racing Series needs funding to continue their 2012 season! They have set up an Indiegogo campaign to raise $10,000! Apparently they have two new t-shirt designs featuring actual PPPRS drivers on them.
CT Hackerspace’s Arduino Workshop
 CT Hackerspace will be offering a Introduction to Arduino workshop Saturday, June 23rd from 10am-4pm.
Arduino Hacknight Tonight at Mesa, AZ’s HeatSync This Wednesday, the 6th (and every first wednesday), is Arduino/non denominational microcontroller night @ heatsynclabs. This week Marc McMcomb from Microchip will join to show off and get feedback on the new Cerebot hardware from Digilent which use the familiar chipKIT™ MPIDE for development. Well also finish our previous discussions about about the challenges, and Microchip’s recent successes, in open sourcing their entire toolchain for the chipKIT™ product line.
PCB Design With KiCad at HackPittsburgh 
On Saturday June 9th, come learn how to design a two-layer PCB using the free, open source, and multi-platform electronic design software tool KiCad to design circuit schematics and PCBs. We will start at 10am with a physical circuit prototype on a breadboard, and learn the whole process through entering in the schematic, linking each schematic part to a PCB footprint, arranging PCB footprints on the board, routing traces between each footprint (both manually and automatically), and exporting your design files for fabrication. We will also cover creating your own custom parts. After designing your PCB we will all submit our files to be fabricated at a quick-turn professional PCB manufacturer, and will meet a few weeks after the class for a follow-up class where you will solder together your custom-designed circuit board!
BBQ, LAN Party and Classes at Denver’s DenHac 
Don't miss out! June 9th we're celebrating the warm weather with a full day of classes, talks, BBQ and a LAN party! We'll be open to all ages until 10pm, then 16+ with photo ID.
Summer Camp at Ann Arbor’s All Hands Active We have two amazing summer camps coming your way, registration is open! If you have any questions or would like more information, please email Dana Nelson at heibaiwow@gmail.com Young Gamers Summer Camp: Using the amazing power of video games, students will learn better communication, team-building, and leadership skills. As well as playing award-winning video games that are conducive to learning these valuable abilities, they will also learn about video game history from arcade to console to pc, and why it's important for their next objective, which is working as a team to build a basic video game they can hack and tinker with long after the class ends. Young Mechatronics Summer Camp: Students will learn how to use Arduino as a tool to alter the world around them in the true entrepreneur fashion. At the end of this class, students will walk away with new skills, new toys, and an amazing experience. The cost of this class includes supplies that will be available to take home upon completion of the camp.
Follow the above link for signup information, but please note that the prices will change after the 10th (Gamers) and 17th (Mechantronics) of June.
Pottery Camp at Tokyo Hackerspace The Tokyo Hackerspace Pottery Camp
is an overnight camping trip in Kamogawa. The first day, people interested in learning pottery will attend a 90-minute workshop in Kamogawa where the pottery master there will teach how to make pottery. Each attendee will also make their own bizarre pottery object. At night time, we’ll be barbecuing up some meaty goodness, hanging out, taking in the fresh air, and generally loafing around. The second day is a free day and people can go to the Kamogawa beach, look around, or help Chris Harrington work on his farm. The cost for the pottery workshop is 5000 yen and is optional. Campsite rental + transportation will likely be around 2000 yen per person. The price is subject to change, though but will be roughly around there. You can also rent things at the campsite such as tents, chairs, barbecue grills, etc.
3D Printer Build Off at Huntsville, AL’s Makers Local 256 We're proud to announce that our next 3d printer build off will be at Makers Local 256 in Huntsville, AL on July 21st and 22nd 2012. Makers Local is the Huntsville Hackerspace and has been actively making and hacking since 2008. We will be offering a deluxe version of the RepRap Prusa 3d Printer. We'll spend 2 days building and showing you how to use your 3d printer. We will also being doing a group buy of plastic so everyone who is participating can benefit from a large order. Space is limited, if you are interested in participating in the Hunstville, AL 3d Printer Build Off reserve your spot today!
Maui Makers Gets a Space 
Its official, Maui Makers now has use of 1550+sqft of the F-2 Cafeteria building in Pu'unene, courtesy Hawaii Dept of Education. This is the building next to our container, so the basic location has not changed. However, now we have: a large (34′ x 31′) open classroom
a kitchen (14 x 22) with two sinks, stove, and washer/dryer
a small (7 x 5) room w/built in shelves (and power breakers)
a larger (11 x 14) 'office' with shelves, 3 windows and working air conditioner
two bathrooms!! (outside)
AC Power galore.
Maui Makers has a Real Building          
Here’s the most recent “Eureka!” comic from Roy Doty, appearing in MAKE Volume 30. Eureka! started running in MAKE Volume 25. To see the whole series, visit the Eureka! archive.
From the pages of MAKE Volume 30:  Until recently, home automation was gimmicky, finicky, and user-hostile. But today, thanks to a new crop of devices and technology standards, home automation is useful, fun, and maker-friendly. In the special section of MAKE Volume 30, we'll show you: how to flip any switch in your home with a smartphone, home automation without programming, controlling your HVAC with an Arduino, a webcam security system, and a wall-mounted Notification Alert Generator (NAG) that plays timely reminders as you walk by. Plus, you’ll build a Yakitori Grill, a robust R/C flying-wing airplane, sturdy furnishings from PVC, and more!
BUY OR SUBSCRIBE!          
Scissors or shears on this classic pattern are sometimes called “butterfly scissors,” “butterfly shears,” or simply “Chinese scissors.” The finger rings are integral to the blades, and are formed by bending the steel stock back on itself in two simple, elegant loops which, taken together, suggest a heart, or a leaf, or a pair of wings.
What probably began simply as an expedient method for working blacksmiths to forge scissor finger rings has evolved into a kind of visual signature, or trademark, for China’s Zhang Xiaoquan scissors company. The modern Zhang Xiaoquan factory in Hangzhou was built in 1957, but the company traces its origins to the 1600s. Today, scissors and shears having the same basic “butterfly” design are manufactured all over the world.  The tool performing its primary function. I have been slightly obsessed with the Zhang Xiaoquan-type scissors design since 1998 or so, when I first saw a pair of them in David Pye’s otherwise-meh 1978 book, The Nature and Aesthetics of Design. I have owned several disappointingly cheap pairs in low-grade carbon steel, and they tend to rust or wear out pretty quickly.  The tool performing its secondary function. This is my first pair in stainless steel, and they are a complete pleasure, both to look at and to operate. They are razor-sharp, and come with a small leather button-snap sheath to protect both the tool and its human companions when the blades are not in use. And if you should actually have occasion to use them, they will cut the heck out of stuff. The brand is Senkichi Gold, and this is the 165mm size. I received mine as a gift, and though I don’t have to use them very often, I consider them one of the best gifts I have ever been given. They are available online for $52.60 from Japanese-Cutlery.com, although shipping to the US will probably bring the price up to around $75. Stainless Steel Flower Scissors 165mm          More Recent Articles | |
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