1. Embedded Related Links
Here are the list of some interesting embedded related sites
2. Text Editors
Brief is my editor of choice under DOS. I use Codewright
under WIN95 in Brief mode. Codewright is one of the powerful GUI based text editor I have used.
It has builtin Version Control, Syntax highlighting etc.
I also use VIM, which is one of the most powerful Editor I have used. VI is terse, once you learn it, you will be thankful that you have learned it. I like the power of regular expression in it. I also use VIM under LINUX.
3. Embedded Tools
UC Berkeley Espresso
for boolean minimization. Suppose to be the best boolean logic minimization tool
around, lot of commercial grade tools use this package for boolean simplification.
I have used this under Linux & DOS.
Bool for logic simplification and simulation with C like syntax. This is one of the tool I use quite often to analyze PLD programs without comments and to verify my digital design even before the bread-board. This program runs under DOS.
Gnuplot an interactive function Plotting Program.Available for many platform and OS's. I use this program to plot look-up tables used in embedded design. Care to know more ?.
Rlab pronounced our-lab, matlab like interpreted scientific programming environment. GNU General Public License, and is free. Available for many platform and OS's.
4. My favorite Micro processors / controllers
Z80 is one of the most successful processor in the history. Its one
of the first microprocessor to have an OS (CP/M).
PIC are the most successful RISC based microcontroller. You can buy a PIC in wide variety from 8 pin to 40 pin. I have used DonTronics DT101 SimmStick, a 30 pin SIMM package Single Board Computer using PIC16F84 in my projects. I purchased it through Wirz Electronics. Microchip provides MPLAB, a powerful development tool for free. If you are not comfortable with assembly language then you can use Basic Stamp which programs in BASIC.
Intel 8051 Family is one of the most successful microcontroller. It uses Harvard Architecture, and you can find it in wide flavors. I like to build project using it because of the serial link, which can be used in initial debugging. I once replaced the obsolete electronics of an old German cutting machine with this microcontroller back in India. I have used New Micros, Inc., NMIY-0031 8051 based board. The board comes with an Assembler, Intel BASIC51, Small-C and Max-Forth.
5. My favorite Programming Languages
Assembly , yes I love to program in assembly language. I love assembly because it is the
microprocessors native language. I can tell microprocessor what to do directly
in an assembly than in a higher
level language, where I cannot express my thoughts always and not possible to.
I have programmed wide variety of processor ,
Z80, 8085 , 8086 Family, DSP TMS320C25 etc.
C is a higher level language which is close to assembly. Before discovering Perl , C was my general purpose language.
Take a scoop of my give away C Programs.
Perl is my swiss army knife in programming. Created by Larry wall this is one of the popular , powerful scripting language available. To quote FSF
.. Perl,a tool that takes the UNIX ideas of flexibility and portability further than almost any program before it.
Perl is also been ported for WIN95. I use Gurusamy's 5.004_02 binary found in CPAN. Certain perl features does not work well in WINLand.
Take a scoop of my give away perl Programs.
Forth uses stack for its operation.
6. Some Embedded related Forums
Philips Microcontroller Forum Digest - Discussion about
8051 series microcontroller.To subscribe put the word "subscribe" in the
subject field of an email message.
The Embedded Muse - To subscribe, send a message
with the words "subscribe embedded email-address" in the body. email-address is your
Email address.
Last update: Wed Feb 13 13:42:25 EST 2002
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