[Discuss] new serial port question

[spencer kelly]

And we're obliged

I would like to make a computer do things in real life.

hi all. has anyone done any serial port work in linux? I want to interface
with motors and switches. I have learned programming and learned
Electronics, but have not been able to reconcile the two subjects. how hard
is this?

i figure serial is easier than usb, though ive looked into midi.  what i
want is a wire coming out of the computer whose voltage i can adjust,
monitor, script to, blahblah. But this is sort of out of the realm of those
without a engineering degree isnt it? is my computer a little closed
universe?