Oct 5, 2025
DC means Direct Current: electricity that flows in one constant direction.
What’s the difference between DC motors, RC servomotors, and stepper motors?
-Key differences in practice:
- DC motors: simplest; you vary voltage to change speed and reverse polarity to change direction. Need a driver (H‑bridge) and protection diodes for back voltage.
- RC Servomotors: you command a target angle with pulsewidth; they include gearing and position feedback, so they “go to” and “hold” positions without external sensors.
- Stepper Motor: you move in exact steps by driving coil sequences; excellent for repeatable positioning, usually open‑loop (no internal feedback), and require dedicated stepper drivers.
Oct 5. 2025
My process of soldering the motor driver went very well at first, but I don’t know why the angle of the pins changes when I take the driver off the breadboard. I tried to melt the solder and imagined gravity could do the work, but unfortunately I failed. I thought I would probably need to buy a new one. Then I thought maybe the solder sucker could work. Ceren doubted me at first, but I insisted. I added more solder on the top and used the sucker to extract from the bottom—and it worked!
(I’ve been there before)
Just like riding a bike
Oct 5, 2025
The author challenges the myth of “natural” or “intuitive” interfaces using the metaphor of learning to ride a bike: what feels effortless is actually the result of prior practice. Interfaces exist to abstract complex systems, but they still demand users learn what can be manipulated and how actions map to outcomes. Even celebrated gestures like Apple’s pinch‑to‑zoom felt “intuitive” largely because launch ads acted as micro‑tutorials; many first‑time users still struggled.
Labeling interfaces as “natural” can erode empathy, blaming users when they simply haven’t learned yet. A better lens is ease‑of‑learning on a sliding scale, shaped by the user’s past experience and the interface’s reliance on familiar metaphors (cut & paste, file folders, stars). In short: “intuitive” means it draws on already learned behavior; “unintuitive” asks for new skills or mappings. Designers should embrace the teaching responsibility—build discoverability, clear affordances, feedback, and safe trial—because the learning curve can be flattened, never erased.
Oct 6, 2025