For this project, I wanted to build a device capable of displaying up
to 8 digits on a seven segment display. Sounds easy, right? The catch
is, I wanted to retrieve these digits from the Internet over WiFi.
I took this opportunity to try out the ever-popular Arduino platform. Arduino
turned out to be a good choice for this project for several because it has:
- an easy to use, Arduino compatible WiFi adapter (WiShield) put out by asynclabs
- a library available for talking to the WiShield with examples included
- a MAX7219 interface library
- an onboard USB programmer and a software programmer that works on Ubuntu
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“To be honest, I was a little surprised it didn’t happen earlier,” was a
common sentiment directed toward me as news spread that I was leaving
the Fresno Bee. I had been carefully scanning job listings every day
for at least a year and occasionally applying for one that seemed like a
good fit. As time wore on, I become more and more aware of how lucky I
was to have found the kind of job I did find in Fresno. I can count on
one hand the number of Fresno-based job openings that piqued my interest
over the course of a full year. None of them excited me enough to leave
a perfectly good job at the Bee.
Strangely enough, my small effort in packaging uWSGI for Ubuntu
was what prompted some communication with a RightScale employee who
encouraged me to apply for a position. I almost didn’t because I’ve
grown so attached to my friends and family in Fresno, but the reality of
my situation was apparent. If I wanted an exciting job with lots of
growth potential, I would have to move.
The Fresno Bee was a great employer. It had fostered the growth of my
skills and talents, my supervisors had always been kind and flexible,
but the time has come for me to either move on to pursue growth or
settle down in Fresno. I think I’m too young to settle down.
RightScale provides me with a new set of opportunities to really push
the limits of technology and I am very excited to start work tomorrow.
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