Comments on: Why do you hate the Arduino?

By: Andrew L. Ayers

Andrew L. Ayers — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 18:15:41 +0000

I personally love the Arduino! I think that any “hate” that it attracts is likely due either to misinformation or ignorance about the platform. At heart, it is simply a carrier board for the ATMega, with a special bootloader to make things easy for beginners. You don’t -need- the bootloader; an ISP interface is right there if you want to hack on it using avrdude. With the Arduino system, yes there are some “incompatibilities” with C++ code, but nothing says you must use the Arduino system to develop (but it is pretty nice). Other than that, its pretty standard C/C++! Its open source, its “free” (ok, the microcontroller itself isn’t, but the ATMega168/328 isn’t a budget-killer chip). There are even ports for some of the ATTiny parts (84/85), as well as for some of the bigger chips (ATMega644, 1280, 2560). I am not sure what is really to hate…

By: Sodor

Sodor — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 09:54:08 +0000

Well, I don’t use and I don’t hate arduino, honestly I like PIC, the only thing that really hate and is the arduino crew (not all, some are nice guys), they always say “Arduino is much better than PIC” when there is no point of comparison, they compare a complete board with a functional microcontroller AVR loaded with a bootloader, is good for beginners (no programmer, no PCB or circuit building to make the AVR work) save a lots of headaches, in other hand the PIC is only the microcontroller alone, without bootloader, without a circuit board, in other words arduino users talks about arduino like a microcontroller and then they make comparative between arduino and PIC.

By: yonose

yonose — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 08:26:40 +0000

I like the arduino because of its flexibility and ease of use… I’m still a newbie at it… The most I love of it is to be able to use them in the most popular operating systems… I’d like to give BSD a try just look here…

http://www.exit2shell.com/blog/?p=57

I’d really hate it if it was the ONLY thing i’d use, What I disike about the basic types of arduino (diecimilla and duemilanove) is practically because is just a bit expensive to buy… every thing can be done by scratch, but well, I was curious and excited to get one. I think the arduino mega is worth buying …

Frankly what I really hate are some Microchip Microcontrollers, well only the DSPics, I’d rather USE a FPGA or a real DSP for the same applications a DSPic has… I’d rather like to use Cypress PSoCs or Freescale because those ARM based microcontrollers and of course, embedded development kits involving ARM architecture processors and FPGAs, I like them better. My Uni ties me to use the Microchip-Windows combo and I really hate that… that even makes me hate windows too sometimes and bores me almost every time :P :P I’d like to use various kinds of uC, embedded development kits and all that stuff.

By: Funky Gibbon

Funky Gibbon — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 23:15:50 +0000

I don’t hate arduino’s just the concept, my prefrence is for Pic’s, small jobs 8 pin, big jobs, 44 pin, my C & asm knowedge is self taught through trial and error and reading datasheets, i’ve ordered a duino just to see what the fuss is all about, i know everyone has to start somewhere and there’s great satisfaction in blinking a led for the first time but theres more satisfaction in figuring out how to pwm the brightness for yourself, it’s true that the library support for duino’s is good, one problem i find coding for gameboy and DS is that when theres a library revision nothing works anymore, i some people moaning that their code doesn’t work and yurns out their using outdated librarys, and personally i’ve learnt nothing from using other people code, i think people like duino’s like people like Mac’s, fine but which generation ipod we on now? I think duino’s are best summed up by the fact that the editor is called a sketch pad and you download sketches to the duino, i don’t doubt the ability of the Atmega chips just think they could be put to better use, now Mac’s i do hate but thats anouther post, as for the bus pirate? well i have a breadboard, Pic18f4550, Micro-VGA Module and PickKit 2, what else do i need? other than a leson in formatting text maybe, actually i’ve found the uVGA module to be the most usefull tool i’ve owned, no more Lcd’s, unless the project calls for one, uVga is a VT100 terminal which connects to a vga monitor so 80 x 25 text as aposed to 20 x 4 on an Lcd

By: anonymous

anonymous — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 03:32:36 +0000

2K of RAM ……..
30K of code …..

You can write (rather) large software, but you can’t run it !!!!!

By: Ben Combee

Ben Combee — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:39:25 +0000

I’ve done some more complex C++ code with the Arduino — see my project at http://webduino.googlecode.com. The IDE doesn’t force you to use the simplified language, especially if you develop separate library modules. I have found it to be a very quick way to get some projects going, and I also love the community support around it. I’m just now starting to move into making my own PC boards and developing complete circuits, but I’d never have gotten here without the Arduino as both a learning tool and as a platform for experimentation.

By: Andreas

Andreas — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 18:07:10 +0000

It’s all about procrastination.
I hate hate HATE the arduino, because it so deeply disrupts this dependency on procrastination I’ve built up over the years.

For SOOO long I have been planning out projects, and instead of the hassle of actually building the stuff I wanted – digital control for my modular synth, lighting control for my band – I could just safely and easily say “oh, that’s for when I get better at assembly code” or “oh, when I figure out wtf a Gerber file is… ”

Now I can’t hide behind that shit; it’s a 30 dollar project… at most. DAMNIT!

:-(
Arduino: Making procrastinators STFU since 2005.

Andreas

By: Andreas

Andreas — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 18:17:56 +0000

I have never tried any Arduino hardware, but hate it I will for a Bus Pirate. Also, for maximum learning potential – pure C is king.

By: Joel

Joel — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 07:45:21 +0000

I hate it, because I own one and still can’t think of an decent, or useful original use for it. It just collects dust. I would also have to say it isn’t powerful enough for any of the ideas I’ve come up with. I hate the row of offset pins. The Arduino is too large for what it is, to an extent. It should be 75% of it’s current footprint for the standard sized Arduino. There are too many versions of the Arduino, the Arduino Mega, the Seeeduino, the Arduino Pro. It is over-capable, and under-powered.

By: Marc

Marc — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:55:44 +0000

I love Marmite senarios. Are there anybody who’re just not fussed about that stuff? A kinda, well, I’d prefer it wasn’t on my toast, but I’m won’t run screaming if it is.

I have a microsoft-like opinion of the Arduino.

I haven’t owned one long, and have not had the time to put it to much use yet. I love that it’s unbelieveably well supported, its open to new uses and variations, it’s not hindered by corporate greed or desire for control of ideas. I love that the language is simplified and presented in almost-english. I love the community it spawned and the number of people who have been able to do things with it they wouldn’t have had the knowledge or support for otherwise. And I love that it’s something I can one day give to youngsters to help them learn about and develop a passion for electronics.

I hate it because I worry that if I get too deep into it, I will be unable to develop the skills in ‘proper’ C I’m learning at Uni. I hate that it’s furthering the idea that so many engineers tie themselves to one type of manufacturer or family when theres so many other useful chips, many that could do even better. I hate that it’s simplified C is trapped in Atmel AVRs, and that no-one seems to be looking at how to port it to chips by companies such as Freescale, the company my university is attempting to tie me to.

And I hate that I could never have thought of such a great idea…