TRoH and LotAG= The Rules of Hacking and Laws of the Avant-Garde

From the very first of Nic’s editions on hacking (rule 1 was especially important in it’s day, however irrelevant now as Radio Shack is not what it once was; and see your textbook — Appendix C — for the most up to date version of this list):

Appendix 3:

The Rules of Hacking

Rule #1: Never get into a conversation with anyone at Radio Shack.

Rule #2: Don’t take apart anything that plugs directly into the wall.

Rule #3: It is easier to take something apart than put it back together.

Rule #4: Make notes of what you are doing as you go along, not after.

Rule #5: Avoid connecting the battery backwards.

Rule #6: Many hacks are like butterflies: beautiful but short lived.

Rule #7: In general try to avoid short circuits.

Rule #8: In electronics some things are reversible with interesting results, but some things are reversible only with irreversible results.

Rule #9: Use shielded cable to make all audio connections longer than 8”, unless they go between an amplifier and a speaker.

Rule #10: Every audio connection consists of two parts: the signal and a ground reference.

Rule #11: Don’t drink and solder.

Rule #12: After a hacked circuit crashes you may need to disconnect and reconnect the batteries before it will run again.

Rule #13: The net value of two resistors connected in parallel is always a little bit less than the smaller of the two resistors; the net value of two resistors connected in series is the sum of the two resistors. (Ohm’s Law for Dummies)

Rule #14: Kick me off if I stick. (Zummo’s rule)

Rule #15: You can always substitute a larger 1.5 volt battery for a smaller one, just make sure you use the same number of batteries, in the same configuration.

Rule #16: If it sounds good and doesn’t smoke, don’t worry if you don’t understand it.

Rule #17: Start simple and confirm that the circuit still works after every addition you make.

Rule #18: Always leave your original breadboard design intact and functional until you can prove that the soldered-up version works.

Rule #19: Always use a resistor when powering an LED, otherwise the circuit and/or LED might blow out.

Rule #20: Distortion is Truth. (Poss’s law)

Rule #21: It is easier to drill round holes than slots.

Rule #22: Never trust the writing on the wall-wart.

Appendix 2:

The Laws of the Avant Garde

Rule #1: Do it backwards.

Rule #2: Slow it down, a lot.

Rule #3: Make it louder, a lot.