[Coco] CoCo Hardware License Re: eBay madness?

[Brian Blake]

Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but, it's either irony, coincidence,
or your not so subtle way of telling me 'you shouldn't have opened the case
in the first place' that your message came right after I posted a note on
the list about the CoCo I'm currently working on.

Anyway...

So... what are you proposing? Coming up with a test a CoCo user should have
to take prior to opening up a CoCo? Like schematic reading 101? Or soldering
basics (yeah, it's not 'the bigger the blob, the better the job)?

It's interesting how folks get a CoCo and find out there are problems with
it, then ask for help with it due to unfamiliarity with the machine, or they
really have no earthly idea of the problem and are hoping it's an easy fix.
I thought that's what a hobbyist group was for - helping new and old members
alike. As for other users, who have more than one CoCo, what's the problem
with them using one to experiment with to try to learn more about how it
works? Especially if they've fixed another part on the same machine before.

As for setting 'guidelines' for someone before they take on a task on their
beloved CoCo they themselves paid money for, I think that's one sure way to
get people to leave the CoCo community. Most people here posting questions
very willingly admit their limitations, and by trying to enforce a community
edict on what they should and shouldn't do with the things they paid money
for seems like an elitist slap in the face.

I would think it's a foregone conclusion that anyone who's going to attempt
a 6309 swap will not be using a hammer and chisel to remove the 6809. Nor is
it necessary to use tin-snips when removing the four memory chips when doing
a 512k upgrade. However, there's nothing wrong with an FAQ of various
projects so someone knows what types of skills and tools to have on hand for
a given project. What type of soldering/de-soldering tools, ESD protection,
electronics vise, multimeter, 50 or 100MHz o'scope, etc... Have you ever
soldered anything before? Resistors? Capacitors? IC socket? Can you tell the
value of a resistor by it's color code? Do you know the difference between
standard caps and electrolytic? Do you know what a base, emitter and
collector is, and where they are most likely to be found? Now it's getting
into basic electronics, but, where do you draw the line?







On Sun, May 8, 2011 at 5:13 PM, Steve Bjork <6809er at srbsoftware.com> wrote:

> You could always build your own digital to analog joystick interface for
> less than $10.
>
> Yes, I know not everyone could build their own.  But maybe that should be
> your test on your hardware skills?  I watch too many CoCo users open up a
> CoCo and only to make things a lot worse.  Maybe you need a License before
> you work on a CoCo?
>
> Hear me out.  HAMs are another hobbyist group (and FCC) that require a
> license to get on the air.  They do this so everyone knows how share the air
> waves without causing problems.  As part of this, you need the skills to
> keep the equipment in tune and running well.
>
> Well, License idea maybe a bit too strong.  But we should come with a few
> guidelines for our fellow CoCo users on what hardware skills are needed for
> taking on a hardware task on our beloved Coco.
>
> After all, there are very few WORKING CoCos left out in the wild.
>
> Be it real or joking, let's hear your guidelines.
>
> Steve (Hi-Res Joystick Interface) Bjork
>
>
-- 
Ohioan by birth, Floridian by the grace of U-Haul and a bad economy...