[quote]Eric,
The board will be open source, released (I expect) under Creative Commons. The source for the .NET Microframework for the LPC1788 will be open source to an extent; You will definately be able to download it and compile it yourself to add any Native support you need. I do hope to license it to other manufacturers wanting to use the NXP Cortex-M3 range of products, as there is a lot of work in creating a port. It is currently compiled under GCC as I do not have a license for the more mainstream tools from ARM as of yet (perhaps when I sell a few thousand Argons!).[/quote]
My point of view about this not being a great feature is that even if you already own a (good) power supply, either static or batteries, you still can’t power the Gadgeteer boards without an USB Client module or at least an extender module that will do the interface between your power supply and the board.
Also, if you want your board to be standalone, say on a robot, you would absolutely need the USP Client DP module because it has a power plug and not the USB Client SP, which is using an USB connector.
Lastly, but correct me if I’m wrong, I’m not sure that the USB Client SP module would help providing enough current with many devices connected to the board. Remember that here you only have max 500mA available.
In all case, you could use an extender module but will need some work on it to connect it to your power supply.
If you build your own power module, this will also add extra cost and work designing and soldering it.
All in all, this increases the final cost in a way you can’t avoid without requiring extra work from you . This is why I don’t think it’s a great feature, but only a feature.
But, as I said, it is by design, so it surely has been discussed seriously and good reasons exist. That’s why I say that we can’t say much about it now.
You will see the value once more power modules are available. Gadgeteer is made to be like Legos, very configurable. For example, you can take a barberry module (when available) and drop it in your design. On the other hand, you can not change the power circuit on a non-gadgeteer board.
Gadgeteer is most flexible not most cost effective. It is cheaper to buy plastic car than to buy Legos to build a car but Legos let you build an airplane too.
LOL! You and your autocorrect. You need to try a Windows Phone.
I was struggling to figure out what a Barberry module would be. Thought maybe it was some super-secret codename that you’d inadvertently let slip. A battery module is pretty cool, though.