--- In
ComputerVoltageSources@yahoogroups.com, "john" <jmahoney@...>
wrote:
> This raises what I see as the big decision: Which microprocessor to use?
>
> I've been programmaing for over 25 years but I admit to confusion over
> the array of MPUs available. PICs, Basic Stamps, AVRs, BasicATOMs, oh
> my!
>
> One major factor that I see is this: Is a development kit required to
> program the MPU? I gather that PICs are really cheap but they require a
> dev kit/programmer. The BasicATOMPRO needs no such kit but it costs
> much more than a typical PIC.
>
> One has to decide (i.e. make a guess at) how many of these puppies s/he
> will be using. If the answer is a very small number then the no-dev-kit
> units are more attractive. Beyond a certain number, though, and the dev
> kit pays for itself. This is why cheap little PICs are great for
> production devices (including small volume "cottage" production); one
> programming device yields many programmed PICs.
>
> Of course there's also the performance issue. The BasicATOMPRO blows
> away the PIC, there.
>
> I'm as confused as ever. ;-)
> --
Me too John!
i'm (obviously) already heavily invested in MBASIC on the AtomPro.
Debug techniques, learning curve, proprietary features etc....(that
floating point vs integer thing was a REAL trip through the looking
glass for an OLD guy!)
so of course, i'd like to stick close to that
Grant made the point about the code being didactic in order to give
nonprogrammers at least a SHOT at writing code and i favor BASIC in
that regard. The folks at basicmicro aren't stupid. They've done some
homework and made their choice accordingly.
i've done musical apps in C and Forth and i can see great potential in
both of them but.... TRANSPARENCY to a non-programmer?
fuggeddaboudit!
For my part i'm most focused on the development environment ... IOW
i'm agreeing with you in that this should be a key area of focus.
-doc