Any Software Programmers out there?

[photorock]

           Any advice for someone wanting to get a custom piece of software written. I know the couple of courses I did in College, we had people come in from outside the school to have personal projects done by us students. Do the programming courses do the same thing or something similar?

           What I am looking for is a piece of sotware that could be used to run and program a hardware controller to turn 1 to 8 electrical motors on and off at predetermined times, the same time, intermitten times, etc. over an extended period of time.

            If I went to a College, would it be someting they would do or would I be laughed out of the school. Perhaps it could be offered to a student on a contract basis, I don't know what would be the normal route. The only programming I ever done was some simple VB programming, so I think it could be done, just not by me.

            Any advice would be greatly appreaciated...

[JackTucky]

There are some websites where you can describe your project, then put it out to bid.  

The one that I checked out, which I can't remember unfortunately, you bought credits from the website, and used those credits to pay the contactor.

There was a feedback system to help you decide who to hire.

I put a small project out there, and got bids from $250 to $800.  I never did go ahead with it though.

Good luck.

Art

[GodSend25]

www.rentacoder.com

There are some websites where you can describe your project, then put it out to bid.  

The one that I checked out, which I can't remember unfortunately, you bought credits from the website, and used those credits to pay the contactor.

There was a feedback system to help you decide who to hire.

I put a small project out there, and got bids from $250 to $800.  I never did go ahead with it though.

Good luck.

Art

[mp2526]

I might be able to help.

PM me with the details like:

What OS are you shooting for?
Do you already have a hardware controller in mind you are wanting to interface to?

I might have some spare time to whip something up, depending on the complexity of the functionality needed.

[Lance]

You might want to take a look at these:

http://www.phidgets.com/

They come from a project that started at my University (U of C).  Baiscally you have a USB interface and can control a bunch of relays from the computer to turn on whatever (motors, lights etc)..

[SirPoonga]

This would not be a hard task to do.  You want the motors computer controlled?  What you described could easily be done by an electrical engineer and some simple electronics.  no need to a computer ans software.  Unless that is the only way to talk to the hardware controller.

Though to make what you are talking about could be done in simple VB  actually it depends on how the hardware controller is hooked up to the computer and how you have to talk to it.

[Generic Eric]

You might want to take a look at these:

http://www.phidgets.com/

They come from a project that started at my University (U of C).  Baiscally you have a USB interface and can control a bunch of relays from the computer to turn on whatever (motors, lights etc)..

For MAME'ers???
64 LED controller board via USB

[photorock]

          First off thanks for all your great responses. I thought it was possible to write the software and after reading your responses, I now know it's possible.

          I would love to explain exactly what I'm planning to build, but I have to do some more patent research first. I haven't found anything out there like what I've envisioned, so perhaps a patent lawyer is the next step. I can tell you this it's not any form of gaming device. If this idea comes to fruition it could revolutionize one of the worlds largest industries and spell the decline/restructure of another and clean the environment at the same time.

           You know as I'm writing this, it occurs to me that I may be laughed off this board for writing this post, but I have fate in the members of this board not to do that. And NO I haven't lost my mind or gone off the deep end, I just think I may be on to something. At least time will tell. Hey mp2526 I may take you up on your offer.

          Guys anymore advice or comments that you might have is all welcomed. Please be gentle with me, I'm only 140 pounds soaking wet.