- Voja Antonić
Voja Antonić (Serbian: "Воја Антонић", "pronounced Voya Antonich", IPA2|'ʋɔja 'antɔniʨ) is a
Serbia ninventor ,journalist andwriter . He was also amagazine editor and contributed to a number ofradio show s but he is best known for creating a build-it-yourselfhome computer Galaksija and originating a related "Build your own computer Galaksija" initiative withDejan Ristanović . The result of this initiative is, perhaps, his crowning achievement - he encouraged and enlightened thousands of computer enthusiasts during 1980s. Mr Antonić donated many of his personally initiated creations to thepublic domain , whenever they related to thecommon man or a fellowengineer .Notable Electronics Projects
1976. Conway's Game of Life
After reading a book on
Z80 microprocessor motivated Voja Antonić to create something with it. His first creation with a microprocessor wasConway's Game of Life machine that shows its state using 8x8 matrix of red LEDs. The machine reportedly worked flawlessly almost continuously since creation to at least 2006 (time of writing of this article).Pictures and descriptions (in
Serbian language ) can be found on [http://www.paralax.co.yu/pr76.htm his web site] .1981. Sport Event Arbitration System
Prior to the Winter of 1981/1982 [http://www.skijanje.co.yu/Takmicenja/klubovi.htm Smučarski savez Srbije] (en. Skiing federation of
Serbia ) timed the competitors using regularstopwatch es and hand signalling. Upcoming Balkan competition required this to be improved and more precise and the skiing federation contacted Mr. Antonić to create a system for precisely timing each competitor.The result was a small, battery powered computer packed together with
Liquid crystal display display, printer and keyboard inSamsonite suitcases. Over the years five different models were built, named from "Arbitar" to "Arbitar 5" and were used for many years to come.See also:
* [http://www.paralax.co.yu/pr81.htm 1981: Arbitar] - Mr. Antonić's detailed account of the project and related experiences andanecdote s, inSerbian language .1982. Alarm System
1983. Galaksija
In 1983 Mr. Antonić learned of the interesting way to have the
CPU generate video signal, without the use of specialized video circuitry. He thought of this as a good idea for an inexpensive, "build-it-yourself" computer. "Galaksija" (pronounced Galaxiya, meaning Galaxy) was featured in the special edition Računari u vašoj kući (Computers in your home) of a popular science magazine of the same name, published late December 1983 inBelgrade ,Yugoslavia .Voja Antonić essentially released Galaksija to
public domain and never required any compensation for it. He wanted it to be a project anyone can undertake and received only the compensation for writing the magazine "article" itself, not the computer.Initial estimates were that between 100 to at most 1000 Galaksijas will be built. End result was at least 8,000.
----Actually, there is alternative history of Galaksija startup connected with 6502 and ZX81 video generating code and hardware. I will write it soon. Promise.----
See also:
*Galaksija - main article about this computer
* [http://www.paralax.co.yu/pr83.htm 1983: Galaksija] - Mr. Antonić's own description of the project and related experiences, inSerbian language .1993. Digital Photo Printer
1999. Engineer's Assistant
In 1999 Voja Antonić created a
logic analyzer , probe,serial interface receiver andfrequency counter device based onMicrochip Technology PIC16F84 microcontroller . It eventually became Microchip's "application note 689" (AN689) but was subsequently removed. Although the work was published, compensation for his efforts, Microchip in-circuit emulator "MPLAB-ICE 1000" was never sent to Mr. Antonić. Microchip claimed that it was prevented by ongoing sanctions againstYugoslavia .See also:
* [http://www.paralax.co.yu/pr99.htm 1999: Bombastic compensation] (inSerbian language )- Voja Antonić's own words on the project, jokingly referring to NATO bombing of Yugoslavia as the final delivery of abovementioned compensation.
* [http://www.qsl.net/la9sja/electronics/ea/ The "Engineer's Assistant"] - "unofficial home page" maintained by Erik Grindheim, with [http://www.qsl.net/la9sja/electronics/ea/00689a.pdf original AN689 document] .
* [http://www.web-ee.com/Schematics/Engineers%20Assistant/ea.htm The Engineer's Assistant - a PIC16F84 Project]Bibliography
Print Books
Do nonexistent things exist? - a guide to critical thinking
Increases in
superstition and popularity of various fortune tellers at the very end of 20th century prompted the sceptic in Voja Antonić to try to do something about it. He decided that the best way is to write his first book, "Da li postoje stvari koje ne postoje - vodič za kritičko razmišljanje" (Serbian language , ISBN 86-902159-1-3). Excerpts can be found on [http://www.paralax.co.yu/knjiga.htm author's personal web site] .To provoke interest, the book was packaged with a "
dowsing pendulum " alongside the binding edge of the book. As per author's own word, this was done to make just an appearance of controversy. A chapter of the book deals withideomotor effect and explains how there is nothing controversial about it.Non-Prophecy from Kremna - a study of deception
Continuing his sceptical interest in fortune telling, Voja Antonić took action against a
prophecy popular inSerbia , made by self-proclaimedprophet sMiloš and Mitar Tarabić fromKremna village by the city ofUžice . He uncovered that twelve issues of the bookProphecy from Kremna were all different and altered over time.During his research he visited Kremna where he was offered the "original handwritings" of Mitar Tarabić, who was
illiterate .Name of original (in
Serbian language ): "Kremansko neproročanstvo: studija jedne obmane", ISBN 86-902159-2-1. Excerpts can be found on [http://www.paralax.co.yu/kp.htm author's personal web site] .Online books
Patents that won't change the World
Being a proven inventor, Voja Antonić took pleasure in browsing other people's inventions and
patent s. He could not avoid noticing that many patents are at the very least naïve or just impossible. To top it all, he wanted to address the increasing appearance of people referring to patent applications as if they were actual patents. The result is yet another book, currently only (freely) available in electronic form, on [http://www.paralax.co.yu/patenti.htm author's personal web site] (inSerbian language ).Possibly related to this book, Voja Antonić humorously presents how to build a "
Vampire detector " on [http://www.paralax.co.yu/pr00.htm his personal web site] . Theperiscope -like device exploits the assumption that vampires do not have a reflection in themirror and allows the operator (viewer) to quickly and easily switch between the straight-through and periscope views. He states that he will not apply for apatent because "Albert Einstein is no longer working in the patent office and nobody else would be capable of understanding the true value of this invention".hort stories
Voja Antonić wrote a number of short stories for his appearances in "Modulacije" (eng. "Modulations")
radio show hosted byZoran Modli . He personally read them during live public broadcasts. Later he made them available on [http://www.paralax.co.yu/price.htm his web site] (inSerbian language ).* Appearance and disappearance of life (serbian: Nastanak i nestanak života) [http://www.paralax.co.yu/prica1.htm]
* Three cows (serbian: Tri krave) [http://www.paralax.co.yu/prica2.htm]
* Amateur business (serbian: Amaterska posla) [http://www.paralax.co.yu/prica3.htm]
* Murder (serbian: Ubistvo) [http://www.paralax.co.yu/prica4.htm]
* Modli [http://www.paralax.co.yu/prica5.htm]
* Life Guard (serbian: Spasilac) [http://www.paralax.co.yu/prica6.htm]
* Idea (serbian: Ideja) [http://www.paralax.co.yu/prica7.htm]
* Palm Tree (serbian: Palma) [http://www.paralax.co.yu/prica8.htm]
* Bruises (serbian: Modrice) [http://www.paralax.co.yu/prica9.htm]
* Kaona [http://www.paralax.co.yu/prica10.htm]
* Sparrow (serbian: Vrapče) [http://www.paralax.co.yu/prica11.htm]
* Successful man (serbian: Uspešan čovek) [http://www.paralax.co.yu/prica12.htm]
* Encounter (serbian: Susret) [http://www.paralax.co.yu/prica13.htm]
* Messiah [http://www.paralax.co.yu/prica14.htm]
* Farewell (serbian: Rastanak) [http://www.paralax.co.yu/prica15.htm]
* Premonition (serbian: Slutnja) [http://www.paralax.co.yu/prica16.htm]
* Inertia (serbian: Inercija) [http://www.paralax.co.yu/prica17.htm]
* Tamara [http://www.paralax.co.yu/prica18.htm]
* Tequila (serbian: Tekila) [http://www.paralax.co.yu/prica19.htm]
* Déjà vu (serbian: Dežavi) [http://www.paralax.co.yu/prica20.htm]
* Fog (serbian: Magla) [http://www.paralax.co.yu/prica21.htm]External links
* [http://www.paralax.co.yu/ja.htm Ja, privatno] "(I, privately)" - page maintained by Voja Antonić himself, in
Serbian language
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