Alt-BEAM Archive

Message #03563



To: leemon@geocities.com
From: JVernonM@aol.com
Date: Sun, 23 May 1999 04:20:05 EDT
Subject: [alt-beam] Re: Ya wanna lay off Solarbotics?


Thanks for the words of encouragement Lee. You stated my sentiments exactly.
I don't want to hurt Dave or BEAM, on the contrary, I plan to do all I can to
see the tech grow. The way I see it BEAM is one of the best ways I've seen in
my life to get 13 year old boys interested in electronics and robotics. In
the US now everyone is talking about what is happening with our 13 year old
boys. Here is one solution. I would have given anything to have been able to
stumble on this stuff when I was that age. What vexes me is the limited
growth of the hobby side of the tech. I wish someone could break into Walmart
with a solar powered bot. It would make BEAM nationally known and open access
to many of those youth we are so concerned about. That is my main drive here.
Maybe I'm impatient. Another avenue is the conventional hobby market, and
local hobby shops. I think the best thing we could all do is organize small,
local workshops at our local boys clubs, schools, and churches. Grass roots
efforts like these can be very rewarding in more ways than one. I have
already contacted the school my kids attend and am in the process of getting
a small group of kids together for a build and learn fest. It's really easy,
just a flyer on a bulletin board and a little arranging, no big deal. BUT, it
gets alittle more serious when a group of 20 kids want to build scout walkers
for 300 a pop. You see what I mean about limiting access to the tech. I will
probably organize parts bags to fill the bill but it just makes things more
difficult. I need solar cells and motors, and I'll probably by those from
Dave, so competition isn't really an issue here. I will then simply become
another revenue source for Dave. No problem there, I just don't want to have
to hock the farm.
Jim

------------------------------------------------------------------------

eGroups.com home: http://www.egroups.com/group/alt-beam
http://www.egroups.com - Simplifying group communications



Home