Ja(y)den D. Harper -Author Collective

It all started with good intentions. Jay was refining a voltage-soup metaphor. Per was wrestling the components list for the fifth day in a row, trying to explain things in a way that would make sense to someone half-asleep with one eye on the diagram. The goal? Make the hardware section readable by humans, squirrels, and possibly a distracted blender.

They were putting the final polish on the basic components — resistors, diodes, capacitors, transistors — and making sure the explanations didn’t sound like an alien transmission. Everything was fine. Until they powered the wrong board without a heatsink.

The voltage regulator cooked itself with such enthusiasm it melted part of the plastic enclosure. Jay didn’t scream. He stared at it like it had personally betrayed him, then did that tired little laugh-cry thing that says “we deserve this.” Per was already scribbling notes about thermal dissipation and muttering about a future footnote.

Den walked in, saw them both slumped at their laptops, took a photo, and added it to this blog post. Now it’s immortal.

Book Progress Update:
We’re nearly done. The core components section is finished, and we’ve moved on to I²C communication and advanced modules. This is the phase where every success feels like wizardry and every failure smells faintly of melted plastic.

If all goes to plan, this will be the last time we overheat anything on purpose.
Arduino Unlocked is almost here. Hopefully before we burst into flame again.
-Har.

“Note: use a heatsink. Please. We’re begging you.”? – Per