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Thanks for the perspective. I think I'm just as atypical, but on the other side of the fence. While Javascript is appealing, I'm a software engineer, so different languages aren't scary to me, whereas I'm still learning the hardware side (I hardly know what you're talking about with the mosfet) and I'm horrible at soldering. I get by fine with through hole, but my attempts at SMT were disastrous. I guess I just need to learn with some cheaper components instead of my pricey Espruino boards that I don't want to bork.
bluecamel
I think Gordon is planning a smaller, cheaper espruino, to wick I am greatly liking forward to. There are some posts about it.
Personally, I love the smd area, and just wish there was a second smd area (connected to same holes for headers) instead of the spot for Bluetooth, with the pads on the finer pitch for tssop / msop. With that cheap "no clean gel flux", I can solder on smds in half the time as an equivalent through hole part. I may not be typical - but I would think there would be people who know electronics but are scared of the programming, whom JavaScript and smd both great for. Plus, you can't get a lot of the best parts in through hole... Like, show me a mosfet that has performance specced at and decent at 3 volt gate drive through hole for example... I haven't been able to, while there are rice grain sized sot-23 parts handle multiple amps continuously, at 2.5v on gate (they fit real good the smd area)
Re lack headers do you mean you'd the pin strip be included? I agree on that, but I'm glad it wasn't pre installed because I've been using several styles of pin strip.
I do kinda feel like there's room for two versions of the espruino - the expensive one with more pins and smd area, and the cheaper, smaller one that Gordon has talked about.
Just my two cents - I'm not normal, so I'm not trying speak for the world.