Dan Cogliano
@cogliano.bsky.social
Engineer, maker, geek and magician, in no particular order.
Seeing the @adafruit.com #FruitJam Mac emulator, I am reminded of that time I won 2nd place at the MacPaint Olympics in college. The prize was an Apple mug, which I still have. From the June 4, 1984 issue of InfoWorld. books.google.com.fj/books?id=vi4...
October 29, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Seeing the @adafruit.com #FruitJam Mac emulator, I am reminded of that time I won 2nd place at the MacPaint Olympics in college. The prize was an Apple mug, which I still have. From the June 4, 1984 issue of InfoWorld. books.google.com.fj/books?id=vi4...
We put a man on the moon 50 years ago, but we can’t design a foolproof power strip.
October 28, 2025 at 10:55 PM
We put a man on the moon 50 years ago, but we can’t design a foolproof power strip.
Diversion for the week: from some spare and repurposed parts, 3d printing, #Arduino programming and a bit of @adafruit.com magic, I made this remote controlled wagging raccoon tail in a lunch box.
October 24, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Diversion for the week: from some spare and repurposed parts, 3d printing, #Arduino programming and a bit of @adafruit.com magic, I made this remote controlled wagging raccoon tail in a lunch box.
Lots of progress on my @circuitpython.org game for the @adafruit.com Fruit Jam. Premise is you mine for minerals on different moons. Have a title screen, mechanics working, multiple page game working and a few animations. Next up is to fix bugs, add additional levels and animations.
October 20, 2025 at 3:59 AM
Lots of progress on my @circuitpython.org game for the @adafruit.com Fruit Jam. Premise is you mine for minerals on different moons. Have a title screen, mechanics working, multiple page game working and a few animations. Next up is to fix bugs, add additional levels and animations.
One of my early @circuitpython.org projects and still one of my favs. The EZ Make Oven is a reflow oven for soldering surface mount components to PCBs built from @adafruit.com parts with no high voltage wiring. I've been using it for over 5 years. Learn guide here: learn.adafruit.com/ez-make-oven
October 16, 2025 at 12:53 PM
One of my early @circuitpython.org projects and still one of my favs. The EZ Make Oven is a reflow oven for soldering surface mount components to PCBs built from @adafruit.com parts with no high voltage wiring. I've been using it for over 5 years. Learn guide here: learn.adafruit.com/ez-make-oven
Fun fact: The first #shareware program I wrote was a blackjack game for the #Amiga. It was distributed using Fred Fish disks in computer clubs and BBS’s and people would send me money in the mail for the deluxe version and I would mail the game to them. Pre-Internet times seem like a lifetime ago.
October 11, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Fun fact: The first #shareware program I wrote was a blackjack game for the #Amiga. It was distributed using Fred Fish disks in computer clubs and BBS’s and people would send me money in the mail for the deluxe version and I would mail the game to them. Pre-Internet times seem like a lifetime ago.
WIP: This week for my @circuitpython.org game running on the @adafruit.com #FruitJam, I worked on some physics, created a ship graphic, added text to the display and updated the screen graphics. I think it is coming along nicely.
October 7, 2025 at 12:34 PM
WIP: This week for my @circuitpython.org game running on the @adafruit.com #FruitJam, I worked on some physics, created a ship graphic, added text to the display and updated the screen graphics. I think it is coming along nicely.
WIP: New project. Starting simple, I'm working on the mechanics/physics of a re-imagined #retro game from the past. @circuitpython.org @adafruit.com #FruitJam
October 5, 2025 at 12:29 AM
WIP: New project. Starting simple, I'm working on the mechanics/physics of a re-imagined #retro game from the past. @circuitpython.org @adafruit.com #FruitJam
My college years saw big changes in computer technology. As a freshman we used punch cards for computer assignments. Later years we switched to terminals and in my senior year the Apple Macintosh 128K arrived on campus.
September 30, 2025 at 2:39 PM
My college years saw big changes in computer technology. As a freshman we used punch cards for computer assignments. Later years we switched to terminals and in my senior year the Apple Macintosh 128K arrived on campus.
I have fixed all the known bugs to date and I have all the initial features I want so I have released the first production (i.e. non-beta) version of the CPZ Machine. #Zork #ZMachine @circuitpython.org @adafruit.com #FruitJam
github.com/ZContent/CPZ...
github.com/ZContent/CPZ...
September 29, 2025 at 12:19 PM
I have fixed all the known bugs to date and I have all the initial features I want so I have released the first production (i.e. non-beta) version of the CPZ Machine. #Zork #ZMachine @circuitpython.org @adafruit.com #FruitJam
github.com/ZContent/CPZ...
github.com/ZContent/CPZ...
FYI if you are looking for a maze algorithm, I wrote a learn guide about one here:
learn.adafruit.com/epaper-maze-...
learn.adafruit.com/epaper-maze-...
September 24, 2025 at 4:30 PM
FYI if you are looking for a maze algorithm, I wrote a learn guide about one here:
learn.adafruit.com/epaper-maze-...
learn.adafruit.com/epaper-maze-...
Finally I have a video captured screen shot of my CPZ Machine playing #Zork. The font can be changed in the program. The included fonts allow screen sizes from 64x22 (this screen shot) to 106x40 characters.
September 22, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Finally I have a video captured screen shot of my CPZ Machine playing #Zork. The font can be changed in the program. The included fonts allow screen sizes from 64x22 (this screen shot) to 106x40 characters.
A blinking cursor adds a retro look to my #Zork #ZMachine running on #CircuitPython and the @adafruit.com #FruitJam
September 22, 2025 at 3:59 AM
A blinking cursor adds a retro look to my #Zork #ZMachine running on #CircuitPython and the @adafruit.com #FruitJam
Did you know that the CPZ Machine has 5 retro color themes to choose from for your #ZMachine #Zork adventures? This one is called “Amiga”. @adafruit.com @circuitpython.org
September 19, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Did you know that the CPZ Machine has 5 retro color themes to choose from for your #ZMachine #Zork adventures? This one is called “Amiga”. @adafruit.com @circuitpython.org
I just published the first release of my @circuitpython.org Z Machine emulator for the @adafruit.com Fruit Jam. It can run #Zork and other version 3 #zmachine games. Works with Fruit Jam OS too. Download the release here:
github.com/ZContent/CPZ...
github.com/ZContent/CPZ...
September 18, 2025 at 5:49 PM
I just published the first release of my @circuitpython.org Z Machine emulator for the @adafruit.com Fruit Jam. It can run #Zork and other version 3 #zmachine games. Works with Fruit Jam OS too. Download the release here:
github.com/ZContent/CPZ...
github.com/ZContent/CPZ...
Hey @adafruit.com , if you are looking for ideas for a quad-color #eink image, this Maryland native has one...
September 4, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Hey @adafruit.com , if you are looking for ideas for a quad-color #eink image, this Maryland native has one...
This past month I have been working on a Circuit Python version of Zork and the Z Machine. Still much work to do but making progress. #zork #zmachine @adafruit.com @circuitpython.org
September 1, 2025 at 5:09 AM
This past month I have been working on a Circuit Python version of Zork and the Z Machine. Still much work to do but making progress. #zork #zmachine @adafruit.com @circuitpython.org
My first and most favorite live album.
July 29, 2025 at 3:03 PM
My first and most favorite live album.
There was not a single reason why I became an engineer but looking up at the moon when I was a kid 56 years ago and saying to myself, “there are people living up there”, was one of them.
July 25, 2025 at 11:18 AM
There was not a single reason why I became an engineer but looking up at the moon when I was a kid 56 years ago and saying to myself, “there are people living up there”, was one of them.
Not my typical project, but I created this magical #storytelling bag about the story of #noah. There are a total of 10 story panels and 5 bag changes. I used #inkscape for the drawings and printed it on custom fabric. I’m making a few so pm me if interested in one.
March 15, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Not my typical project, but I created this magical #storytelling bag about the story of #noah. There are a total of 10 story panels and 5 bag changes. I used #inkscape for the drawings and printed it on custom fabric. I’m making a few so pm me if interested in one.
My minimalist autostereogram I created for an @adafruit.com learning guide a few years ago. Do you see the image? learn.adafruit.com/tiny-autoste...
March 10, 2025 at 7:54 PM
My minimalist autostereogram I created for an @adafruit.com learning guide a few years ago. Do you see the image? learn.adafruit.com/tiny-autoste...
Sounds exciting! I remember when mini computers were this size.
February 27, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Sounds exciting! I remember when mini computers were this size.