Getting Started with .NET Gadgeteer: Learn to Use This .NET Micro Framework-Powered Platform

Microsoft Research has introduced and promulgated a powerful Open Source (mostly Apache License) hardware system that in many ways allows faster more powerful development than the Arduino family. It takes an Object-Oriented approach to its modular hardware and C# development environment. Among the significant features of this development environment is the use of modular hardware connected by standardized interfaces, and a Software IDE and the sophisticated .Net Micro Framework permitting full debugging with breakpoints and watches, as well as object-oriented and event driven code techniques as well as multi-threaded process control.Dr. Simon Monk, a prominent author on Electronics and on the Arduino environment has done a most credible job in explicating the powerful .Net Gadgeteer system. Within a similar format and within the limited space (in this case ~78 pages) given to Banzi's "Getting Started With Arduino", Dr. Monk fully documents 5 sophisticated experiments which can be performed with the .Net Gadgeteer. The most sophisticated examples provided in this book include a dynamic web server which can the display the results of a paint program used on the unit's touch screen, and a USB-backup and file storage system for a digital camera also fully constructable with GHI Electronic's basic Spider Gadgeteer System.In order to provide several sophisticated (and easily duplicated) projects within a space of less than 80 pages, Dr. Monk has taken the acceptable shortcut of documenting the Object and Event Oriented code in a somewhat general outline approach. He could not have provided such sophisticated examples demonstrating the full power of .Net Gadgeteer had he fully (in a line-by-line commentary similar to his Arduino books) explained all the features and code techniques used in each example program. Dr. Monk certainly provides enough commentary to understand and duplicate each of the programs and physical computing projects described in this excellent book. However, there is some room for additional documentation on the power and language and software libraries available for Gadgeteer.An excellent introduction to a powerful open source microcontroller platform.--Ira Laefsky MS Engineering/MBAIT Consultant and HCI Researcherformerly on the Senior Consulting Staff of Arthur D. Little, Inc. and Digital Equipment Corporation

This is a very good book. You can get through the experiments in about an open weekend. It's a great starting point for Gadgeteer. This should be the first book you get.I did wish it had detail on using the extender module to connect to a bread board though. I had to dive and hunt online for that information. But this is a "Getting Started" book....

What you expect... In this book you get started by assembling small and simple Gadgeteer systems. It takes you to where you want and that is: "Now I know what it's about"

When you type your "Hello World" Visual Studio project as instructed by this book...your project will not even build and "led." is not valid!It may have been when it was published but it is not now.I figured our what to replace it with and immediately came upon another issue.I did not buy this book to BETA test and re-write it.I bought it to get started with Gadgeteer.I am stopped.Unacceptable.Bad Job.Disappointed.

I enjoyed reading the book. The author takes you though all the steps you need, from installing the needed software to make complete functional projects.

Nice book but really not a terrific amount of content. Great for getting started, as I was. Now stop chasing me for feedback :-)

rubbish

Das Buch bietet einen mäßigen Einstieg in die Prototyping-Welt mit dem .NET-Gadgeteer. Meines Erachtens nach wurde der Fokus allerdings zu sehr auf die Praxisprojekte gelegt, eine richtige Theorieeinführung hätte nicht geschadet!

Ok