Hardware Layout

Why, if layout was inspired by Aurdino pro-mini, which was inspired by basic stamp 2 and allows me to use it in place, is the spark mechanically the same but electrically incompatible?

You will fry things if plugged into the socket. When it is different on the most critical pins, it should not plug in. Is the spacing between the headers the same?

Arduino Pro Mini != Arduino Micro != Arduino Fio != Arduino Nano != Arduino Mini, i.e. you can’t just plug them into each other’s sockets and expect the same functionality… Sure they all have the same 0.1" pin spacing, but that’s just so they can be prototyped on a breadboard or perfboard efficiently.

So I don’t see a good reason why a Spark Core should be pin for pin compatible with Arduino products or the Basic Stamp, at the expense of good hardware design that makes sense for the STM32 microcontroller and CC3000 Wifi Module.

Code should be compatible, or at least have an easy way to translate with known deficiencies. That’s something we are all working on currently :wink:

Agreed with @BDub - plus, we had to make the Core 0.1" wider (to fit the Wi-Fi module), so it would never fit in a socket designed for an Arduino Pro Mini or Basic Stamp 2 anyway

I agree that good hardware design should go first but the reason to be pin compatible with already existing products in the prototyping market would be huge. All small shields that people have designed would fit nicely on top of the Core and you would just add the Core cloud functions to it. Now I believe the Core is 0.1" wider so the problem is not there but it would be nice if they fit and they were pin compatible.

This would be especially valuable for a DIY crowd that has been trained, mostly by Arduino but also others, that if it fits toTgether it will work together. As an example people expect that a shield that fits on the Arduino Uno will work with the Arduino Mega because they fit together but it will not work with a Arduino Fio since they are not pin compatible.

Yeah but which Arduino device are you going to make it perfectly compatible with? I’ve been around a lot of sites as well and I can’t recall even one shield that was purposely made for something like the Arduino Pro Mini.

I think what Spark Devices has done, is create an opportunity for other Makers to make money :smile:

Spark Core to Arduino Pro Mini adapters… etc…

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Ah it is .100 wider. Good. I didn’t have one in hand when I sent the email.
My original use was to replace a basic stamp that I have already replaced with an arduino. Some adaption will be required.