 Notice. New forum software under development. It's going to miss a few functions and look a bit ugly for a while, but I'm working on it full time now as the old forum was too unstable. Couple days, all good. If you notice any issues, please contact me. |
Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : Micromite MkII beta testers needed
  Page 8 of 8 |
|||||
| Author | Message | ||||
| cwilt Senior Member  Joined: 20/03/2012 Location: United StatesPosts: 147 |
I use mmbasic exactly because its not just another micro controller running C. MMbasic makes it possible for me to build mesh wireless remote controls that can do over the air updates. Not so easily done with the other competitors. Yes, those who are here are here because of mmbasic but I would bet that many of us work with multiple languages depending on the needs of the project. You will often see members discussing features with Geoff and not always agreeing with him. Compiled makes it just like all the others. Cfunctions will be tested by many of us and if there is enough interest in its use then it will likely be expanded. If there is no or little interest then it will probably be phased out. That has been tried. Look at SolderCore. I have a full set of development boards and sensors sitting here collecting dust. Open source does not mean competent developers. |
||||
kiiid Guru  Joined: 11/05/2013 Location: United KingdomPosts: 671 |
Well, I think it actually does mean that. I simply do deny to accept that someone would be so naive to think that there is no one better than Geoff in the world. Considering myself somewhere in the middle of the charts, I have seen people who can do almost miracles with code, if they see any meaning in doing it. Those people are usually driven away from any 'regulated' development environment, where ideas and improvements must be first approved by 'The Boss', and this is exactly the case with mmbasic. I fully agree with JohnL on that one. http://rittle.org -------------- |
||||
| plasma Guru Joined: 08/04/2012 Location: GermanyPosts: 437 |
What is wrong with you Guys? Where are much other solutions and ways to programming these little chips , even if You know programming in c or basic! Everybody who ask for the source can get it and some members build here own version of mmbasic, but the Disput above sounds harsh and ugly for me, also i feel the Sound Of Money ! I think this isnt the right way for intelligent Disussion , also not in this thread. I use much other languages and know a lot Of these discussions, its everytime the same. I will also thanks Geoff for supporting us with his wonderfull support for new chips and new Ideas for Mmbasic. I think MMbasic will much better with this kind of Support and all other Problems like Compiler and faster cpu will solved over the time. But who cares if my "little" basic programm runs Like hell or not? Also building a compiler isnt easy and Geoff is a one Man show and no Company. And if a Compiler comes what will you pay for ? To say with EEV blogs words : Ahhhh come on ! |
||||
| WhiteWizzard Guru Joined: 05/04/2013 Location: United KingdomPosts: 2794 |
Well said Plasma 
And now let us get back to the thread's topic!!  For everything Micromite visit micromite.org Direct Email: whitewizzard@micromite.o |
||||
| JohnS Guru Joined: 18/11/2011 Location: United KingdomPosts: 3663 |
I think JohnL raises some issues that are valid, but to me they've been raised before. I don't myself see much point in compiled Basic, except that with no big-memory and fast CPU it would make sense. More sense is just to move to a chip (it'll be ARM) that can be fast and have big memory. There's a wide choice. I do think the closed source is a huge problem but it's Geoff's chosen way. It guarantees a small niche, that's all. The mainstream is highly unlikely to head towards Basic of any kind, compiled or not, open or closed. There is no reason why it would. Had (say) BBC or Atari Basic been moved to more powerful systems years ago then maybe it would have spread. An open source VB (as if!!) might have done it. None of these happened and I reckon the ship sailed long ago. So, a closed-source niche it is. Why does it matter? I don't see that it does, for those happy with that. If JohnL isn't happy I'm not sure the point of saying so, at least not without a persuasive set of reasons that might get Geoff to take a new path. John |
||||
G8JCF Guru Joined: 15/05/2014 Location: United KingdomPosts: 676 |
I've thought long and hard before making this post, but I felt that Geoff's effort, drive and far-sightedness needs to be more robustly recognised. If people want to develop in C/C++ then all power to their elbow, nobody here is stopping them, and, by the same token, if people want to develop in MMBasic/CFunctions then don't denigrate that choice Geoff is the person who has put in the effort to make MMBasic what it is today, and that effort is not just coding. It is surely up to Geoff, and Geoff alone, to decide if he wants to let others in on the game or not ? IMHO, if I had shed blood sweat and tears on something like MMBasic, I would be loathe to let some 'Johnny come lately' swan in and start telling me what's what, especially when I smell commercial interests at play ! Looking at the Internet, there seem to be no end of compilers for this language or that; now I certainly wouldn't know where to even start, let alone go about writing a compiler, but there are obviously plenty of people who do. So if one of them was to create a compiler which compiled GWBasic-like (eg MMBasic) source code into PIC32/ARM machine code, and place their compiler source code into the public domain, then fine and dandy I would have thought. But why hasn't anybody ? And it's surely NOT Geoff's fault that hasn't happened is it ? I don't think the Syntax of GW/MM/VBasic etc is copyright. Even with true Open Source, there still tends to be an overall approver somewhere, eg Linus Torvalds for the Linux kernel. Without that overall guidance, the project ends up forking so much that quality becomes decidedly hit and miss leaving users with real dilemma of which fork to choose/use - the "which forking fork" question. As @WW said, let's get back to what this thread is about and make MMBasic II the optimal environment for delivering embedded solutions quickly, and cost-effectively. Peter The only Konstant is Change |
||||
Oldbitcollector Senior Member Joined: 16/05/2014 Location: United StatesPosts: 172 |
As many here know, I've produced a board based on Geoff's Micromite and the Propeller. I think we've shipped around 50 ("just") boards with this design. They aren't exactly flying off the shelf, but that doesn't matter. I built the little computer that I wanted for me. If someone else thinks it's cool, that's a bonus. :) Part of the "hard sell" of the Micromite is the preconceptions that come with BASIC. BASIC is seen overall as something old and slow. This is simply NOT the case with the Micromite/MMBASIC. Geoff has done an amazing job at revitalizing BASIC with speed and powerful new commands while maintaining compatibility with classic basic. Additionally, Cfunctions will certainly provide a lot of power to do amazing things that even MMBASIC won't touch. The best thing folks can do who enjoy the Micromite is to dig in, continue to do projects and share their success with others. Don't worry if someone else is sold on C, python, or whatever language is popular this month. MMBASIC and the Micromite is an amazing gift. Thank you Geoff. My Propeller/Micromite mini-computer project. |
||||
boss Senior Member Joined: 19/08/2011 Location: CanadaPosts: 268 |
For those who would like to play with uMite and/or Propeller I found a source of graphics shield (800x480, 24b color, DVI or VGA. Easily connected to any Mite via 8bit port http://www.rayslogic.com/Propeller/Products/DviGraphics/DVI. htm Mine is on the way. and other good staff for good price http://www.rayslogic.com/ and if you want to connect USB keyboard/mouse/Storage http://www.ebay.ca/itm/251657113940?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT &_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649 Bo |
||||
| Oldbitcollector Senior Member Joined: 16/05/2014 Location: United StatesPosts: 172 |
There is enough room on a single Propeller to handle that screen, a keyboard, and an SD card. I've posted an Instructable for creating the Propeller's keyboard and SD circuits (eight resistors). You only need to combine the necessary objects as I've done. That USB HID device could become problematic in comparison. I've considered doing a code addition that includes that display.. If there is enough interest I'll compile a version for folks here. My Propeller/Micromite mini-computer project. |
||||
| G8JCF Guru Joined: 15/05/2014 Location: United KingdomPosts: 676 |
Hear, Hear Jeff  The only Konstant is Change |
||||
| boss Senior Member Joined: 19/08/2011 Location: CanadaPosts: 268 |
@Oldbitcollector Video shield: Resolution 800x480x24 in graphic mode needs ~ 1.15MByte video memory and you have less than 32kb inside Propeller DVI is standard for most of today's LCD monitors, price $34 for shield and free shipping (in USA)is more than affordable ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------- USB kbd/mouse shield is standalone device- the output is TTL serial (3.3V) and can be directly connected to uMite COM1:/COM2/Console Bo |
||||
| Oldbitcollector Senior Member Joined: 16/05/2014 Location: United StatesPosts: 172 |
@boss, I was under the impression that you'd be using with the Propeller as Ray has done with these projects. Yes, it definitely has it's own higher powered controller to handle that resolution and color level. My Propeller/Micromite mini-computer project. |
||||
| boss Senior Member Joined: 19/08/2011 Location: CanadaPosts: 268 |
@Oldbitcollector Thank you. I believe we have to design our products on highest possible level we can do it! Bo |
||||
| Page 8 of 8 |
|||||
 Print this page |
