USB Basic Stamp 1 question

I don't see any point in going for the BS1 if you're starting out. The
BS2 is a lot better if you're wanting a complete package like that. For
microcontrollers with built-in interpreters, you should also look into
the OOPic, BasicX, and Atom. The OOPic is good in that one of the
boards, the OOPic R, is stand-alone, similar to the Basic Stamp BOE
board. Most of these products with carrier board, cables, etc., is at
about the $100 mark, and that's not too much of an investment for a
first learning tool.

-- Gordon

I agree with all of Gordon's comments.

You might want to check out Parallax's USB BS2 board / kit:
http://www.parallax.com/detail.asp?product_id '807

With the USB BS1 stick you mentioned you would need to add components to do
anything besides programming it --- you
would need LEDs and resistors at a minimum to see any output from it. With the
BS2 kit shown in the link above, you
could then add one of Gordon's robot bases to it and have a full blown robot! (I
rolled my own from an old CD drive
chassis and a BOE board.) What you should start with and how much you get out of
it initially depends on your beginning
knowledge and what kind of stuff you have laying around to experiment with. If
you don't have any electronics "pieces
and parts" laying around, then a kit like the one mentioned above is a good
starting point because you can end up
spending just as much as a kit's price by buying everything separately.

In addition, Parallax sells some refurbished (which usually just means returned)
kits on eBay under the name "pbasic1"
on eBay at a decent discount from the brand new price. Just search for
"Parallax" on eBay and you may find a few
bargains to fit within your budget. I just checked and there a quite a few kits
from Parallax or others on there right
now.

The other controllers Gordon mentioned are well worth looking into, also. They
tend to have more capabilities than the
Stamp products.

Personally, when I buy something like this I try to purchase it (and keep it in
good enough condition) to resell on eBay
if it doesn't work out or when I need to move up to something more powerful. I
can almost always get at least 50% of my
money back on it and sometimes even more. I call it "recycling my cash".

Good luck!
JCD