With today's DSP technology, FFT algorithms, and a bank of solenoids, two computers could, in theory, transmit data via xylophones a LOT faster than one baud!

FFT analysis on the receiving ends determines which notes are being played and when, even simultaneously. By using notes unique to each machine, both can be playing and receiving simultaneously. It would be quite noisy, but would definitely work.

It would also be a good idea to "damp" the chimes, to dramatically reduce the audio decay rate. This would allow notes to be played in rapid succession, without losing the distinction between individual strikes of a given chime. Yes, the data throughput could become surprisingly fast without the PEBKAC! (Or in this case, PEBXAC)

Sounds like a cool project for someone with a bit of time on their hands, and a good pair of ear protectors.

Very well said, Bert64. You've perfectly delineated what I was trying to say, but with much better detail. Thank you!

Hopefully, someone involved with the Pi will read your comments, and "make it so!"

Ideally, a pre-programmed SD card should also be available, so one need only buy it, connect it, and power it up to see a window on the desktop with:

READY.
_

(Or some other such prompt!)

As someone else pointed out, make a default, hard-coded, "ROM"-based OS for the Pi, which cannot be "broken" by inexperienced users "PEEK"-ing and "POKE"-ing around the system... like the computers we both grew up with!

For me, it was a VIC 20, then a C64. I was not just into "hacking" the software, I was also into building and modifying the hardware! I had built a speech synthesizer board around the SPO256 chip for my Commie64, and had a blast making that thing say all kinds of crazy stuff. ;) I also built a relay box to control lights! (A 4-channel "Light-o-Rama".) Imagine if there were similar things for the Pi?

My 2c worth:

How about making it so that when it powers-up, it's ready to go, without having to set up a user account, etc... just create the image on the SD card, then have the Pi come up to a desktop environment with a few helpful links. One of them should be a user-friendly programming environment that's just a mouse-click away, containing a few useful and easily modified example programs. Make the language something better than BASIC, but just as easy-to-use/learn... "Think of the children".

Here is the CORAL link:
http://www.thepowerbase.com.nyud.net/2012/04/trs-80-model-100-interview-with-john-r-hogerhuis/

I referred to "sets" simply because this is the way Lego has been selling for years, now.

When I was a kid, all we had were blocks. Even plain ol' wheels were RARE! We made everything from the basic bricks, building, smashing, rebuilding... exactly as you described.

Now, having helped my nephew build a few Lego "models" (a reasonable description, IMHO) over the years, I also understand the appeal of these custom sets. They have taken the place of the plastic models we had to glue together when we were kids. Now, they just snap... and if you have enough OTHER Lego sets, your imagination can still go wild! Take parts from each, and come up with something unique... as kids will do!

The idea is for the PARENTS to GET INVOLVED with their kids. I can't help but picture geeky parents having geeky kids... it would just kinda rub off, but also, the children would be NURTURED in their pursuits of all things "geeky"! How do non-geeky parents end up with geeky kids? I don't know, but they do! Yours Truly is a geek, born to non-geeky parents. :)

The author suggests that the Lego company should produce models of real-world scientific devices of all levels of complexity, from simple machines, to Tesla coils, etc, all the way up to this. (No, not WORKING Tesla coils!)

I think this is an idea that is well worth pursuing. Granted, it probably won't outsell "Star Wars" toys any time soon, but for one thing, the GEEK FACTOR is off the scale! I think there are plenty of kids (and parents too) who would definitely buy such Lego sets! I'd even be interested, myself... and I'm pushing 50!

Correct, it's not "Normalize". That algorithm seeks the highest peak in the audio, then raises or lowers the TOTAL GAIN to bring THAT PEAK to the preset level. Here is the caveat. You can have an audio file that is -50 db (barely audible) with a single "clunk" (like the mic got bumped) at 0 db. If your "normalizing" to -6db, then it's going to reduce the gain of the ENTIRE FILE by 6db, leaving your desired audio at -56, with the single peak at -6.

What you want to do, is technically known as DYNAMICS COMPRESSION. This is a variable gain adjustment, on-the-fly. Radio stations use "audio processors" to do this in realtime. With digital audio, the process can be MUCH more precisely controlled, since it is NOT in realtime. With proper dynamics processing, you'd have that -50db audio raised to at least -20, and that 0db peak dropped to -6. Yes, you can "crank it to 11" by having it raise the -50 db audio to -6, and bring the 0db down to -6 also... but with too much gain increase, noise is raised, as well.

Dynamics compression is what those LOUD commercials are using. If you open the audio in an editor program like Audacity, it looks almost flat, with minimal hills and valleys. You will also see this on MOST modern music. The compress the daylights out of it, to make it all sound LOUDER. It works, too... having 0 db of dynamic range in audio sounds quite loud, and becomes fatiguing to listen to for any length of time.

What would REALLY be needed, is a "smart" detector that not only examines peak amplitude, but also the AVERAGE. If the average is always high, then the gain will be dropped proportionally. It would take some doing to make a system that could do this reliably. I have a TV with what they call "Equisound", and it is absolutely DREADFUL! I have thought of using an outboard audio processor, like my Alesis "Nanocompressor".

Why are so many people so reluctant to leave FB? That answer is simple: A VAST MAJORITY of their family and friends (real friends) are on it. If they leave, they won't find those people on G+... so why leave? Tolerate the changes, but stay in touch with your 'peeps. Seems to be working.

That reminds me of the old Atari 2600, how if you hit the "select" switch at just the right moment after power-up or reset, you could add an extra "bullet" to Space Invaders, and really rack up scores! The normal game only allowed one bullet to be on screen at a time, so having two was a significant advantage.

How about a "Toy Story 3" analogy? When Andy drives away from Bonnie's house, leaving all of his beloved toys with her.

Roll Credits.

...something that has been posted online? Not only is it archived "forever' here in Slashdot, but other mirrors, like "The Internet Archive", Google's cache, etc. It's too late to "bury" it, now.

http://www.amnh.org.nyud.net/nationalcenter/youngnaturalistawards/2011/aidan.html

There's the CORAL link.

The site is already Slashdotted. Here is the CORAL link:
http://www.amnh.org.nyud.net/nationalcenter/youngnaturalistawards/2011/aidan.html

His idea is based upon something that has existed since ... forever. It took a bright 13 year old to see it.

I have to quote Scotty, here: "The more they soup up the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain."

Imagine the havoc virus writers will be able to have, once they figure out how to hack the physical hardware?! No thank you! I would rather replace the chip, or put it into a dedicated hardware programmer, than to have it changeable by software! This is a security nightmare in the making... and it ONLY works under Windows! I shudder at the thought!

Note that I said "Early 90's". My computer was a Commodore 64. ;) We watched very little TV, preferring to listen to the radio, mostly. Thus, most of my electricity use, then, was for lighting. That's why changing to CFL's made a 50% difference, I'm sure. Suffice it to say, it got my attention!

My electric bill, now, is certainly "enhanced" by not only this PC, but a big CRT TV that runs a few hours a day, a larger living space, a basement dehumidifier, electric clothes dryer, window A/C units, etc. We live in a small 3BR house, now. Back then, it was just a 2'nd floor, 1BR apartment with heat included. If I replaced all of my CFL's with incandescent bulbs now, it would probably only make about a 20% change... if that.