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From: dvukovic@csn.org (Donald VuKovic)
Subject: Re: Borland C++ on MicroController Board
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Date: Sat, 1 Oct 1994 20:00:16 GMT
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John D Sotack (sotack@eng.mc.xerox.com) wrote: : I am interested in
experimenting with a controller board at home and thus on a limited
budget.  I understand that there are systems available allowing code
compiled with Borland C++ / Microsoft C to be run on controllers using the
same instruction set.

<snip>

Most people on this newsgroup would define controllers as single CHIP
solutions with some RAM/ROM/IO on the chip. (with extended RAM/ROM/IO off
chip)

There are NO x86 single processors on the market! As more-and-more
peripherals are added to the basic processor chip, no memory (ie RAM/ROM)
has been added to these chips. 

( I know of only the V25 from NEC that has any ROM/RAM on the chip)

So a 'controller' board is just a x86 processor with RAM/ROM chips with
some IO functions on the same board. Now, what is it you want/need. As you
suggested, many manufactures build 8088 cards for less that $100 to 80486
cards for a lot more. How much do you want to spend.

Software is another issue. There have been articles about embedding
Borland/Microsoft compilers on these boards. Where do you want to start.
You could use the limited code supplied from these articles to embedded
some ( less that 64k) on to your target, or you could buy a software
package (some >$500) to handle all this work for you.If you truly
understand the segments that BCC/CL create, you could 'rig up' your own
locater. If not buy one. ( there are some locaters located on the net, but
I can't think of any at this moment. Maybe some will follow up this post
with come ideas) ( also i read in one of the software trades that
Microsoft will ship a development kit for embedded systems sometime in the
future, I am sure someone will follow up this comment as well.)

Good luck, and keep listening.

donaldV

