Thread: Searching for a Laptop
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Unread 29-03-2005, 16:30
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AKA: Patrick Horn
FRC #0008 (Paly Robotics - http://robotics.paly.net/)
Team Role: Programmer
  
Join Date: Feb 2005
Rookie Year: 2004
Location: Palo Alto, CA
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Re: Searching for a Laptop
Always check the cables first (use one directly to the robot instead of a really long chain).

During one competition alone, we had two programming serial cables go bad, and the tether had to be shaken around to get the "Power" LED to fully turn on.

It may seem ridiculous, but make sure to have about 5 extra (unused) serial cables at hand, because we needed all but one at the competition.

Although we haven't had bad experience with the correct USB-Serial connectors, this year we made sure to have a laptop with a real serial plug in the back.
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-Patrick Horn, Paly Robotics

Check out the space simulator called Vega Strike, modelled after the space simulator games Elite and Wing Commander. It's Open Source too!
If you have ever played Wing Commander, or especially Privateer, and had a feeling of nostalga derived from the you will enjoy these two Vega Strike mods: Privateer Gemini Gold and Privateer Remake!
I'm working on adding multiplayer support this year...