Improvements to Components & Solarbotics components on LMR

Hi, guys. I just wanted to keep you up to date on the improvements I've been working on for the site. As you probably know, a few months ago we imported the full Pololu product catalog into our Components section, and we've been talking about ways to make use of that nice big database we now have.

Frits came up with a lot of great ideas, and we settled on a plan for a new and much more useful reimplementation of the components section. The new components section will make it much easier for you to find and link to the components you've used in your robot, in order to encourage discussion about the components everyone's using. The changes are pretty significant and there's a good bit of work left to do, but I'm excited about it and think it'll be a great improvement to the site.

In order to help expand that database even more, I've been talking with the guys at Solarbotics about bringing their products into the site as well. We're specifically seeking out the companies that design and produce new and interesting parts, rather than simple resellers of standard products, because we want to build up the database with a wide selection of the stuff that we're all actually interested in using, like gear motors, tank treads, etc.

Solarbotics was excited to work with us, and agreed to let us import their products too, so I've been working on implementing that. In the next few days you'll start seeing Solarbotics items show up in the components section. Just like last time, the new components won't show up on the front page, but they'll be visible by browsing the Components section and in your list of Unread Posts.

When we added the Pololu items a few months ago, we added all 300 items at once, and some people complained about the overwhelming flood of new nodes. This time, in order to alleviate that, we're only going to be adding 15 items per day. That should put less of a burden on those of you who take pride in your 100% nodes read status (I'm looking at you, rik :).

As always, your comments are welcome. Let's Make Robots is your site, and you're encouraged to provide any feedback you may want to share. Thanks.

Dan

Sounds good, i also think
Sounds good, i also think it’d be benificial to both parties if LMR members got a discount from stores who’s products are displayed on the site.

Brilliant, Dan, absolutely!

Brilliant, Dan, absolutely! Thanks a lot for the work :slight_smile:

PS: "100% nodes read status" - boy, is anyone still capable of that? I cannot even remember "the funny-text" that appears… Perhaps a good place to start an alternate reality game, or just place a good old easter egg?

DAN, YOU’RE AWESOME

-Really!

I saw the robots you made before you decided to become LMR’s one and only computer-stuff-wizard. So I know what an excellent robot builder career you’ve put on hold to maintain this site. And you’re doing a great job here as well.

Good job! I’m rooting for you!

Oh. And I liked iCons idea…

Sounds Awesome

Great job Dan!

Also, I think that Icons idea would be awesome.

Thanks for all the kind

Thanks for all the kind words :slight_smile: I’ve got 3 or 4 ideas for robots I really want to work on, and the parts are already bought and sitting on the floor in my living room. As I keep knocking stuff like this off my todo list, I get closer and closer to freeing up some time for that. :slight_smile:

Dan

WooHooo! The CowGod has returned!

And he is bearing gifts.

I really really really would love to see an (better) easter egg at the bottom of my unread posts! But as it is, even in my case, the oldest post on that list is 1 week and 3 hours old.

8-(

really

Dan: Drop your job and life.

Dan: Drop your job and life. Just make robots and LMR improvements!

We love you.

(the guy-way)

(some possibly the gay-way)

(but not me, mainly because it would be strange because you are a product of the Internet and not real)

(also because I am happily married and all)

(but I still love you)

EVERYONE SAY HAIL DAN!!

**HAIL DAN! Great job man! **

HAIL DAN!

 

Great job man!

 

not real

Dan is not real? well i dont mind: HAIL DAN! doing a great job.

p.s. reality is the place where the pizza delivery guy comes from.

i luv you dan…
lolz, just kidding. that would be wierd. luv icon’s idea though…

hmmm… hmmm… HMMMM…

do not to forget SPARKFUN!!! they make great stuff, a little expensive, but great anyways

** just a thoughtwhat if lmr**

just a thought

what if lmr started selling it’s own kits? would that work out or is the intention of this site to be a community and not a business?

because i think dan deserves a lil more than a “hail dan” for this site. maby you could use the profits to build a life like copy of yourself to run the website while you build other robots. and then build a giant kings thrown made of cow hide and gold studs. and a matching chair for fritz, but that can be made from sunflowers and wisdom and stickers of drum sticks…im getting a little carried away now though but these ideas could work…

haha this is the coolest
haha this is the coolest website in the world :slight_smile:

grimhamhull:I hereby put you

grimhamhull:

I hereby put you in charge of selling LMR kits!

no
no

that’s great! solarbotics
that’s great! solarbotics always has reliable good stuff