Re: Stupid home non-automation product

[Marc_F_Hult <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Mon, 12 Mar 2007 16:47:57 GMT, nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxx (Dave Houston) wrote
in message  <45f57eaa.1709996218@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>:

>"Steve" <nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>>"Jeff Volp" <JeffVolp@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
>>news:SAeJh.61569$as2.44604@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>
>>> C-Max is unlike any other programming language I had ever used, and it
>>> took some time for me convert to the "ladder logic" mentality.
>>
>>Ladder logic is a wide spread approach to industrial controllers.  Easy
>>to do, no Comp Sci degree required, stuff programs more or less in
>>English. Classic process control/manufacturing kind of thing.  Very
>>different than the  classic computer languages and mystifying to the
>>structured programming crowd or those who think MS Visual products are
the standard.
>
>And it predates the BASIC language, which Kemeny and Kurtz developed in
>1963. I learned ladder logic before learning Fortran and Basic. Ladder
>logic was developed to be easy to learn and does not require a detailed
>technical education or electronics background. Diagrams and approach can
>be very similar for electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic or combination
>controls. I suspect Ocelot programming is not all that difficult for
>non-geeks. ADI has sold several thousand of them.

Many of which showed on eBay new and unused when eBay first became a
popular place to unload unneeded geek stuff ;-)

3000 Ocelots/100,000,000 US households with Internet access = 0.0003
0celots/household.  Compare this to the ~20 % of US households with a home
security system and the minuscule penetration of Ocelot should be apparent.

That it is still 'suspected' that "Ocelot programming is not all that
difficult for non-geeks" despite direct contradiction of that assertion in
this very thread should come as no surprise to those that have followed
this long-running topic in comp.home.automation. It pertains directly to
the quality of the advice given.

Folks that are interested in using conventional industrial Programmable
Logic Controllers (PLCs) using ladder logic might look at the book "Home
Automation Basics , Practical Applications Using Visual Basic 6 " by Thomas
E. Leonik, P.E. 281 pages with CD;  ISBN 0-7906-1214-3

The book is based on using PLC hardware and ladder logic and the
Allen-Bradley protocol in particular. (FWIW, I have a copy that will be up
for sale in my upcoming porch sale.)

... Marc
Marc_F_Hult
www.ECOntrol.org