0000: Hello, World!

If you've never done any computer science, the title of this zeroth post might seem vapidly chipper. If you have, though, you probably remember the joy and satisfaction of seeing those words appear on the screen after running your first program. Probably something like:

     #include<stdio.h>main()
     {
     printf("Hello World");
     }

True, it’s a trivially simple task for our powerful, modern computers, akin to driving a Ferrari on your daily commute. To the budding programmer, though, it represents so much more. Commanding the computer to perform that function opens a door just a crack, and gives you a peek into a world of possibilities. It helps you truly understand that people – individuals and groups – engineered the world we live in. The apps in your smart phone didn’t just happen. Each started as an idea, and through knowledge, hard work, and a dash of luck, was transformed into reality. Your bicycle didn’t magically pop out of a factory. Some ambitious people saw an opportunity, developed a new design, overcame manufacturing challenges, and brought it to market. ‘Hello, World!’ can help you see your own potential to accomplish things that shape your own world, and that is a thrilling, empowering experience.

I’m going to be perfectly honest with you, this isn’t my first time. I have attempted – and failed – to write a blog on two separate occasions. In the first entry of the first go, I intended to justify my efforts and the existence of yet another droplet in the sea of content. Unable to convince even myself that it was anything more than mental masturbation, I called it a day without clicking ‘publish’. Round two was a bit more earnest, managing to complete three posts and a draft before stalling out. They’re still out there somewhere, floating in the ether, drifting on The Cloud, taking up a tiny slice of server space... 

Both of my prior attempts fell victim to the same culprit: lack of purpose. I was writing just to write, and nothing so self-serving can be sustained. Why should I spend my time writing, and why should you spend your time and mental energy reading content that doesn't have a solid reason for existing? What value is yet another voice in the cacophony if it doesn't reflect a cohesive view on worthwhile, interesting subject material?

Having just roundly rejected this platform, you would be right to wonder, "what could have changed to bring him back into the fold?" This time I have a real purpose, one that will motivate me and hopefully prove useful and entertaining to you, dear reader. 

I'm going to design and build an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV, a.k.a. 'drone').

This will be a 'new start program,' as we say in the aerospace biz. A project of projects (of projects of projects...), it will undoubtedly broaden my horizons as I attempt to push the envelope. I know I have a tremendous amount to learn, and the unknown unknowns likely outnumber anything I could conceive of at this point. But with hard work and that dash of good luck, I will come out on the other side with a capable new aircraft. My intention is to document the whole thing in this blog. The successes and failures, the advances and setbacks. And above all: the thought process. Engineering is as much about how you get there as where you end up. I hope to pay forward the benefit of the education I've received by helping teach what I can to those who want to learn. 

Next time I'll provide a high-level overview of what I'm hoping to accomplish with this program. Until then...over and out.

__________________________________________________________________________________  Feel free to comment! I'd say all feedback is appreciated, but this is the internet...