Topic 2: Resources and How to Find Them
Online instructional resources are readily available. Below are a few sites for different categories. Most of these include excellent tutorials in video format or as online demonstrations:
Programming Software
GNU Emacs (an extensible, customizable, free text editor)
GNU Octave (a free, largely Matlab compatible, software programming language)
GCC (the free GNU Compiler Collection)
MATLAB (free 30 day trial version available)
Pure Data (free open source visual programming language)
Wiring (open source programming environment for microcontrollers)
Processing (an open source programming language)
- controlP5 (an open source GUI programming library for Processing)
Coding\Programming Tutorials
HTML Goodies (good tips for HTML programming)
HTML (w3schools for web page programming)
CSS (w3schools for web page formatting)
The Nature of Code (an open source Processing programming language reference)
Khan Academy Computer Programmming (excellent introductory tutorials)
Khan Academy HTML/CSS (excellent introductory tutorials)
Computer Aided Design (CAD) Software
123D Catch (free software for 3D images from photos)
123D Design (a free CAD program)
123D Make (free software for making 3D models from 2D slices)
AutoCAD (free Autocad 3D design software)
SketchUp (a free CAD program)
Rhinoceros (CAD program - free trial version for 90 days)
SOLIDWORKS (CAD software - no trial version for students)
Image Manipulation Software
GIMP (free image manipulation software)
Arduino Resources
Arduino (official website)
Arduino Integrated Development Environment (IDE) (code editor/compiler/uploader)
Arduino programming language (download libraries and examples for Arduino)
Arduino and Matlab (download Arduino sketch code for interacting with Matlab)
Arduino Tutorials
Arduino Tutorials
Arduino Wiki playground
LadyAda Tutorial
Hacktronics
SparkFun Tutorials
All About Circuits Arduino Projects
Electronics
Basic Electricity tutorial
Fritzing (free software for electronics circuit design)
Graphical Resistor Calculator
Resistor color codes (PDF document)
Fabrication Companies
Ponoko (laser cutting and 3D printing)
Shapeways (3D printing service)
Proto Labs (3D printing service)
Instructional Websites
Instructables (stepwise instructions on how to make things)
Make: (website for Make: magazine - well worth reading)
Thingiverse (free download of 3D CAD files)