T&L Publications

Oops, this one just crossed the line. See everyone elsewhere.

Ditto

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Chris Smith:
Sorry, Ill let you "Pic" your nose over that one. Im sure with the proper program, it might even scratch other body parts? How Sofmoric of you to make a challenge.<hr></blockquote><p>It makes me sad you chose that response, chris. I'm sure you didn't intend for it to come across as mean spirited and evasive. I'd really like to see how you would build such a simple device with out a uC. I hope I wasn't wrong in assuming that you actually knew what you were talking about but that kind of response begs that conclusion. <p>I would like to point out that you suggested that my design skills were weak and that the uC was a "quickly gobbled aspirin" (not a very strong drug, eh?). That was a thinly veiled challenge. You seem to have a problem with it being handed back to you in a more direct fashion. <p>By the way, I know how I would build it with out a uC. In a couple of days I'll post something if no design materializes by then. I think I can make it pretty tight but definitely not just one chip. Maybe 3 or 4 or 5. Kind of a fun exercise.

dr_when , you don’t get out much? <p>And I don’t misspell, my word processor does it for me. <p>I type phonetically and it sorts out the string. <p>As to Dos compared to windoze, yeah right? You’re a candidate for Pic programmer. <p>Point and click VS key strokes, what are we trying to teach the young crowd here, were moving back into the trees, or perhaps just the caves?<p>Philba, no mean spirit intended. Id like to see a pic set up to flash a single led. But then that is the crux of this discussion, over kill. As I have continued to state, a Pic has it place, just not replacing the resistor, the diode, the cap, single use logic chips, or even common sense.<p>[ January 24, 2005: Message edited by: Chris Smith ]</p>

Hey chris, i just read all these posts and came to one conclusion. You are an ---

JK, I sure hope you also came to the conclusion that microcontrollers are a valid and valuable design component for even simple tasks. <p>The other conclusion probably wasn't hard to arrive at, eh? (sorry, couldn't resist...)

Chris,<p>I've been reading your posts and trying to figure out your argument. I can't decide if you think PICs (really, uC in general) are overkill or if they are under-achievers. I've seen many, beginner uC projects and books that don't do much more than give one simple programs that could easily be implemented using a 555 and/or assorted logic. I've seen this leave people with the impression that a uC is just a different way to do simple logic. The real power and payoff comes much later but we have to walk before we can run.<p>I'm more interested in your comments that PICs are "beta" and have potential. What, in your opinion, do they need to be doing better? Where do they fall short? Is it design? Capacity? programmability? Complexity? Turn-key ability? I'm curious and would like you to elaborate if you could. Thanks.<p>Rob<p>
I'm interested, so if, as you state