Chapter 9. Taking It Further
In this book, I’ve covered only the very basics when it comes to using the BeagleBone in physical computing projects. Hopefully I’ve equipped you with a few tools that can help make your projects a reality. Here are a few other resources I recommend for digging deeper:
- bash Cookbook by Carl Albing, JP Vossen, and Cameron Newham (O’Reilly)
- Learning Python by Mark Lutz (O’Reilly)
- Make: Electronics by Charles Platt (O’Reilly)
Getting Help
Let’s face it, we’ve all run into trouble making projects. Sometimes, I don’t even know where to start when it comes to turning a project idea into reality. Other than searching online for an answer, here are a few other resources that may come in handy while working with the BeagleBone:
- BeagleBoard Google Group
- This group is quite active and covers both the BeagleBoard in addition to the BeagleBone.
- BeagleBone Google Group
- Not as active as the BeagleBoard group, the group focuses on issues strictly related to the BeagleBone.
- #beagle on Freenode IRC
- Internet chat rooms aren’t dead! In fact, for getting a quick question answered, they can be the best resource. If you’re unfamiliar with IRC, you can get acquainted at Freenode. To jump right in, go to this Freenode page, pick a nick, and join #beagle.
Getting Inspired
Many times, the inspiration for my projects comes from what other people are making and what technology they’re using. Here are a few sites that post some of the best projects out there to help you find creative inspiration:
- Makezine
- Naturally, Makezine.com is an excellent place to find news and projects that makers of all types will be interested in.
- Hack A Day
- Make it a habit to read Hack A Day to get the scoop on some of the most advanced projects you’ll find online.
- Adafruit Blog
- My friends at Adafruit have a knack for tracking down excellent projects that constantly serve as an inspiration for me.
Sharing Projects
At MAKE, we love to hear about all the projects you’re working on, both the successes and failures. If you like to tell us about a project you’re working on, you can submit it here. If you’re looking for a way to full document your project build, post a tutorial to Make: Projects. Many projects in MAKE Magazine start off as Make: Projects!
To share with me directly, you can send me an email at [email protected] or you can find me on Twitter with the handle @MattRichardson.
Having Fun
There are many different reasons that people have for making things. For me, my desire to make things comes out of a passion for tinkering with technology. So many of my projects don’t have a reason for existing other than the fact that making it was like scratching an itch. I didn’t concern myself with answering the question “why make this?” It’s like asking a skier why they go up a mountain only to ski down it.
It’s also incredibly fun to go through the process of discovering what can be done with a new technology. Admittedly, figuring things out can get frustrating sometimes, but not much beats the feeling of mastering a new tool.
I encourage you to jump right in an mess around without the fear of failure. You just might surprise yourself.