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“The Secret Life of Circuits” is here (https://blog.coredump.cx)

198 points by surprisetalk 4 days ago | 52 comments | View on ycombinator

triilman 10 minutes ago |

I am from software engineer background and how I learn Circuit is just watching the best 3 video from "Captive Aire" channel:

1. https://youtu.be/pDELW2pIvWw?si=BNsURdXrGLlaAfF3 (Digital Electronic)

2. https://youtu.be/RG3eljmqyq4?si=Pnbvf6P6HbFcIa1v (Alternating Current, Motors, & control)

3. https://youtu.be/nYuVSG89vg0?si=Oe3ZdJojS7T_iGxK (Electric Basic Made is Easy), and

the episode of "Nand to Tetris"

philsnow about 1 hour ago |

A couple clicks through to older lcamtuf posts and I came across this in the "what is electricity" post:

> Once again, we don’t have a satisfying explanation why. We know that these quantum numbers correspond to standing-wave solutions of a three-dimensional wave function that we pulled out of thin air. We also know that the model works better than any alternatives. But we don’t know what any of it really means — or if it means anything.

It is so refreshing to see this explicated thus; physics textbooks are generally coy about "know this for now, and there will be deeper insights available later" but they typically never level with readers and say "we don't know".

tzs about 2 hours ago |

I see some discussion of which books are good for people with various levels of electronics knowledge. I'd like to add one that I've never seen mentioned here: Agarwal and Lang's "Foundations of Analog and Digital Electronics".

This was the book used by MIT in 2007 for the first course in the EE and CS programs. It is that year's course that is on their Open Courseware platform [1], and the readings list there links to a full PDF of the book.

(Edit: click the book title on the readings page, not the "View e-book version" link. See my response to groos' comment below for details).

This is not a link to a pirated copy BTW. Agarwal is a pioneer in the open-education movement and the authors intentionally arranged for an open access PDF.

The lecture videos on Open Courseware are very good too.

[1] https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/6-002-circuits-and-electronics-s...

gadrev about 6 hours ago |

If you're ordering from Europe, be sure to check if it's available in your local Amazon page first, I almost got slapped with like a 50% shipping/import charges because I went straight to the main link (the US amazon). The ones that have it are listed in the blog post.

yu3zhou4 about 7 hours ago |

Michał Zalewski (the author of this book) is goated. His book Silence on the Wire was very inspiring to me and the techniques he described often come to my mind years after reading the book

hermitcrab about 7 hours ago |

I like the 'certified clank free' logo. It that a standard thing now?

ChuckMcM 4 days ago |

This is a much better introduction to circuits than most. You actually get a bit of depth rather than a cookbook of "do this to get that" sort of prose.

moiriad about 8 hours ago |

Super looking forward to it. Got it on preorder in Europe! Will still be a bit of a waiting time.

Always enjoy reading the blog posts, and this seems like a great way to support work that gives me joy. Who knows, might start picking up actual electronics as side projects. Hardware work seems like such a great way to get code into the physical world.

tclancy about 6 hours ago |

This thing is a tome. And I like it like that. Functions as a nerdy coffee table book when not in use.

twizod about 7 hours ago |

Pre-ordered mine(hardback). Yeesh....I have no impulse control because this looks like so much fun,

dsunds about 4 hours ago |

Got mine. And I'm a former EE. Looking forward to it, maybe inspire my daughter a bit.

tdiff about 2 hours ago |

> It gives real answers but doesn’t demand a year of calculus beforehand.

Oh yes, these kinds of shortcuts have always worked great.

skybrian about 6 hours ago |

It would be nice to see a similar book devoted to sensors. Anyone have recommendations?

chris_wot about 2 hours ago |

Already purchased, looking forward to getting it!!!

janice1999 about 7 hours ago |

Just ordered. Love these kinds of books. Any others like this one people are aware of?

ur-whale about 2 hours ago |

Love the "certified clank-free" logo

illwrks about 7 hours ago |

The artwork on the cover should come with a health and safety notice :D

quickthrowman about 2 hours ago |

This looks like it’ll be a good book for me to learn more about electrical theory and circuit design, I know a bit about AC and DC electricity from working in electrical construction which should help me dive right in, thanks for sharing this book release!

undefined about 6 hours ago |

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AmazingEveryDay 4 days ago |

I looked at sample chapter, the fonts and layout are visually repulsive.