Living Trees and Dead Dinosaurs

I enjoy writing sometimes, when I think I have something useful or interesting to say.  Perhaps that's obvious by the existence of this blog.  I will leave it to your judgement whether anything I write is useful or interesting.  I also enjoy teaching others the little bit that I know.  I think that learning is a wonderful and pleasureful thing and I like helping others experience that.  I also like to tell myself that I know a little bit about electronics and building and programming embedded systems.  

Since the "maker movement" has caused a resurgence of interest in electronics and with it a new interest in embedded systems (e.g. Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Beaglebones in assorted colors, etc.) I think I may be able to add something.  I've decided to write some books.  

If you know me, you know that very often I start on a project and it never gets finished.  There are a lot of reasons for that, but essentially it comes down to limited time.  As a project goes on, I find new things that get my attention.  So how am I going to keep interested long enough to finish?  That's where you come in.  If people find it useful and encourage me to continue, that will keep me interested.  To make that happen, they will need to see the work in progress.

So, here is the plan.  I have two books planned: one on electronics, and one on embedded systems.  I have actually already written a good amount of the embedded systems book.  The electronics book is just in outline form.  As I complete a chapter I will post about it here, with perhaps a highlight or two.  The actual book, as it develops, will be available as a download on my website.  I hope to get feedback so people can tell me what they like or don't like about the book(s) as they are written.  I can make changes I see fit and get encouraged to continue from that feedback.  That's the plan.  As I said, the results will depend on you and anyone else you find that may be interested.  Feedback from readers will be essential.

Are you or someone you know interested in such a thing?  Would you be interested in reading what I have to say about these subjects?  If so, please leave a comment so I can gauge the interest up front.  And point others that you think may be interested to this post.

Maybe you are wondering about the title of this post.  I don't intend to publish these books in the traditional paper format.  For now the intent is only to have them in pdf form online.  So, no dead trees will be involved: they can continue to live.  But some dead dinosaurs will have to give up their hydrocarbons to power your computer while you read.  Sorry, but that's how my twisted mind works.

Remember to leave your feedback comments!  Thanks.