Parts Horse re-launch preparation

[duckinator]

TODO:

• Convert to fully-static website, minus search functionality (#114, #116)
• Add search functionality while keeping it as low-maintenance as possible. (Probably a static JavaScript thing?)
• Either refine the existing custom static site generator, or switch to a preexisting one (sticking with Python + Jinja2).
• Reconsider JSON blob structure
• Add common components:
  • 7400-series logic chips (#4)
  • 4000-series logic chips (#5)
  • LM-series ICs
  • common microcontrollers (e.g. AVRs, Raspberry Pi Pico, MOS Technology 6502, Zilog Z80, etc)
  • pages explaining how to read the values of resistors, capacitors, etc.

EDIT: I've talked to some folks and there is definitely interest. This issue is being turned into a discussion of what changes need to be made to lower the maintenance burden and allow it to use static hosting (or at least a PaaS like Heroku) instead of a VPS.

original text

I don't use Parts Horse enough to justify maintaining it just for myself.

It's been up for over 3 years, with only a few days of downtime. Despite that, nobody has provided outside input on what components to add information about, and nobody has even mentioned using it.

So, since it's already down at the moment due to a TLS problem, I'm just shutting down the server indefinitely instead of fixing it.

If you are interested in a central location to get information about various electrical components, please say so here. The reason I am setting Parts Horse aside is because there seems to be very little. If interest becomes apparent, I'll be a lot more likely to resume working on it in the future.

[duckinator]

I also think adding data on the following before properly bringing the site back up will go a long way towards making the website actually useful in practice:

• 7400-series logic chips (#4)
• 4000-series logic chips (#5)
• LM-series ICs
• common microcontrollers (e.g. AVRs, Raspberry Pi Pico, MOS Technology 6502, Zilog Z80, etc)
• pages explaining how to read the values of resistors, capacitors, etc.

[duckinator]

It may also be worth looking into using https://pinout.readthedocs.io/en/latest/

[duckinator]

#114 and #116 mean Parts Horse is fully static, but lacking search functionality. I do want to switch to a more standard site generator instead of a haphazard mess.

If you go to https://jamstack.org/generators/ and set the language to "Python" and the template system to "Jinja2", those will likely require the least effort for migration. (Since that's the setup the fully-custom system is using.)

[duckinator]

potentially-promising static site generators i have no experience with:

https://jamstack.org/generators/nikola/
https://jamstack.org/generators/lektor/
https://jamstack.org/generators/grow/

Netlify CMS ( https://www.netlifycms.org/ ) may also be worth looking into, but i don't have a good feel for how it works.