This is not a serious topic posting, so "Don't Panic".
It is a story inspired by my finding my original homemade PIC programming and development tools the other day while I was digging through the mountain of PC parts boxes I have stacked around here.
I was looking for a replacement MoBo for a customers old dying Slot1 motherboard and when I looked into this MoBo box (see picture below), I found where I stored my original PIC projects.
After spending a few moments getting the tears out of my eyes
(because of the dust that got stirred up when I made the mistake of leaning in and blowing hard 
), I set it aside andcontinued to look for a better MoBo replacement. I did have a decent upgrade board on hand and used it to fix the customers PC and made her very happy for the better performance.
She was very sorry about my eyes accident too and gave an additional very nice hug after paying the bill.
Anyway, back to the old PIC tools I had discovered their hiding place, finally!
- home_made_pic_development_brds.jpg (568.01 KiB) Viewed 2750 times
#1: This prototype board was the project that got me started with PICs all those years ago. (don't ask me how many, I forget and won't admit to any number now anyway)
Originally I had designed this logic idea using discrete gate logic circuits. It took 6-9 sheets of printer paper taped together to have a readable diagram of the logic circuitry wiring and
over 24 14-pin and 18-pin logic gate IC's on a very large custom made IC point-to-point wiring board salvaged from a old, old mainframe computer. Sometime (early) during the wiring of this monster is
when I got very inspired to find a different way to make the prototype of the "Shift Logic" board.
The "Shift Logic" board was something I wanted to add to my Logitech Pro Driving Steering wheel controller to prevent accidentally downshifting into neutral or reverse gears while I was doing
online racing leagues with a Ferrari 333SP (no automatics allowed in league).
Doing this during a league race on a road course corner usually resulted in losing at least 2 or 3 positions or finishing in last place because transmission
was left on the race track (along with my pride and expectations of winning the race).
So 24 or more IC's was not an option for the final unit to integrate into the steering wheel housing. I first considered FPGA IC's and other onetime programmable logic chips like GAL's and PAL's,
but the cost and complexity of the programming tools did not have me looking at them for too long. I found about the PIC controllers eventually and seen people were making their own programmers
from scratch. Perfect for my needs.
Or so I thought............
The other boards in that collection are the result of my trials and efforts to make my own PIC development system tools before I discovered and was saved from that life/reality by MikroElektronika.
Believe me readers, it is not a life you want to be engaged in for long term. Ultimately, it becomes clear to you that if you build it yourself, you only have yourself to blame when it does not work!
And those shown above are not the first versions of any of those boards, they are prized as being the eventual working attempts, on most days, and I can never even be 70% sure they are not the problem. (IF there is a problem)
Here is a close up of the backside of the "Shift Logic" prototype and its point-to-point wiring and soldering. Each of those boards is very similar on their backsides or even more of a mess.
- shift_logic_bottomside_wiring.jpg (151.06 KiB) Viewed 2750 times
(this was also before I decided to etch my own PCB's)
I like soldering and making my own devices and anything that cannot be easily salvaged or purchased when I really, really need it. But as more time went by, I realized I didn't want to spend my time
troubleshooting and building each new required tool addition to the "Development System" and just wanted the working final design in my hands to be there as soon as possible.
It was not so bad when it was just me wanting the final device, but when it evolved into making stuff for others, things had to change.
Enter MikroElektronika and a greatly different and better reality/universe became my new home.
I'm very glad to be here in this reality every day, even on the bad ones when it would be easy to blame someone other than myself for something not working as expected.
I wanted to share this with everyone and hope it helps you get through those "Bad Days" like it will for me now that I have been reminded of how my reality could have been so much different
and quite possibly no where near as rich with options to consider and ideas realized as it is in this reality where WE DO HAVE MikroElektronika products to use, even on the worst of the 'bad days'.
oh..
#2: Worked most times, but no longer remember what software to use with it and not sure I have a PC now that has a parallel port to hook it to.
#8: Never got to use, didn't have the required software disc and did not like their costs per unit (still).
#10: Really, I do not remember what I built this board for, even after looking at it for a few minutes!
Pretty sure it was important,.... maybe? 
None of the boards have a PIC MCU still their IC socket. I made sure those made the transition jump with me and (I think) I know exactly where they are.
Most of those boards were also built without schematics drawn up for them except the ones in my head and it seems they did not make the transition to this reality, were I document everything I do with code comments and schematics.
So I was very surprised when I found them in this reality. I didn't think they came along on the transition jump and were lost to me forever.
I have to take it as a sign and guidepost on why to be happy here daily.
(does this look familiar to anyone else or impress on you how much to be thankful you are not in that reality/universe? Be truthful to yourself on this now. You can lie to us, but not yourself.
)Thank you guys, each and every one at Mikroe for being in this reality with us and striving each day to make this universe the best one to be in, and you members/users
that also make this reality/universe a place to be glad I found.
Please forgive the days I let the "bad" influence my actions everyone and consider that no reality/universe is perfect everyday, so forgive those slips anyone or a company can make once in a while too please.
Very sincerely - Robert.
(always remember: it could be a lot worse, as can be seen by my evidence presented, that could be you!)
PS: Just a small way to say thanks Mikroe for making our recent purchase order "Complete" despite our blunder. We should have read the devices manual before ordering I know now.
