I found this on the net. I particularly like what is in bold because I have that mind set with many things I do. I am often told “Flash isn’t for this/that/anything else but…” but I regularly use it for MANY things.

Leonardo da Vinci is usually credited as a painter, sculptor, architect, polymath, and inventor. Hacker is an appropriate designation to add to the list. The techniques he used were so far ahead of his time that we still marvel at his insight. For example, his art was shaped by his study of optics, perspective, anatomy, and even psychology. He solved problems by adding knowledge from unexpected places. One fine example of a Leonardo hack is his journals. Most of them are written in mirror image cursive. This has often been credited as a type of “security by obscurity” since it would be difficult for a casual glance from an apprentice to reveal the master’s secrets. However, a hacker would look at this result and see a great example of mental and physical dexterity. Someone who is left-handed knows the problem of writing left-to-right. The result is generally smudged script and ink-stained hands. So why not change the rules and write right-to-left? The key to the solution is to ignore the rules.

For more visit this link: http://www.defcon.org/html/links/dc-speakerscorner.html#wiseman-street

So I thought I’d elaborate a little bit more on how to get started with Android’s SDK using Eclipse & Java.

After downloading these files

• Get the Android SDK: http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html
• Download Java 6 SDK: http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/index.jsp
• Get Eclipse IDE for Java: http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/

do this:

1) Install Java JDK. I have the following file: jdk-6u20-windows-i586.exe

2) Unzip the Android SDK. I have the following archive: android-sdk_r06-windows.

Go into the newly created file and run: SDK Setup.exe

If you see an error message like: “Failed to fetch URL https://dl-”… It’s ok, don’t worry. Hit the close button. Another window pops open: “Choose Packages to Install.” Cancel that one as well.

In the main window “Android SDK and AVD Manager” go to Settings. Click under Misc: “Force https://”…

Go to “Available packages”

Click on Accept All then click Install.

It’ll now start downloading a lot of stuff! So wait a bit. When it’s done click on close.

3) Unzip the Eclipse archive. I have this file: eclipse-java-galileo-SR2-win32. Go into the directory and run eclipse.exe

Next, taken from: http://developer.android.com/sdk/eclipse-adt.html

In Eclipse, open the help menu, then click on “Install New Software.”

Click “Add.”

For name enter Android plugin, and url enter: https://dl-ssl.google.com/android/eclipse/

In the check box item that appears, click a check in it! Then hit next, then next again. Check “I accept the terms of the license agreements” and hit Finish. This might take a little while! During the process you might get a message asking if you want to continue with unsigned content. Click ok! Accept the certificates and continue. Just like that, you’re done. Allow the program to restart itself.

Go to Window -> Preferences.

Go to Android and browse to the location of the Android SDK step #2. Hit apply and then ok.

You should now be good to start a new android project!

So I recently went from an HTC Hero to an HTC Evo. Now that I have a phone with an LED flash again, I can use it as a flash light! Unfortunately, many of the programs available on the market are for making a screen white. Not what I’d say is good use of the flash. But of course there is a reason for that; most android phones don’t have LEDs yet.

Trying to find out how to start wasn’t as simple as I’d like. It seems like you have to go through the trenches and most don’t want to make it easy. So forget all that stuff, this is what you do:

• Get the Android SDK: http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html
• Download Java 6 SDK: http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/index.jsp
• Get Eclipse IDE for Java: http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/

Unzip both Android and Eclipse. Install Java 6. Then let Java update itself.

Fire up the Android SDK, fire up Eclipse.

Check out this site for how to get started:

• http://www.vogella.de/articles/Eclipse/article.html
• http://www.vogella.de/articles/Android/article.html

Those might not be as easy as I’d like, but it’s better than I’m prepared to offer myself (for now).

A word of caution, it may seem that part of the reason there isn’t such a direct way of explaining how to go about getting, installing, creating everything android is because it’s really not for just anyone. Not in the same way it was with html.

Some might have the assumption that you can just buy a book and get going. Most who have tried and are seasoned in different languages have said they’ve had problems when their backgrounds wasn’t in Java. As for me? I have been working with ActionScript for many years which is a comparable OOP. As a matter of fact, taking a quick look on the web showed that they go hand in had as far as languages go. Even so far as to be able to write in Java and have an interpreter compile flash files! Now that’s pretty bad ass.

So we’ll see where I end up. Having read the reviews on amazon about android books hasn’t been helpful. Most say the books weren’t good, but also that they didn’t have Java experience. Others who are Java geeks say they were good books, it’s just that they needed introductory Java first, THEN beginning android. Well, as has been with other languages/systems/problems, no better way than to jump in and see if I can indeed swim!

My goal: make a program that’ll just turn the light on and off. So far I’ve learned to add color, text, buttons and fields. Now where do I put the graphics?