Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]

Groups > comp.lang.forth > #26442

Re: A clear victory for MMP

Show all headers | View raw

On 10/11/2013 2:35 PM, Rafael Deliano wrote:
>> I pray for 10 million royalties, 5 million investment in application
>> notes and the enlightment to produce part of the GA chips in DIL
>> packages.
>> (but I never believed in praying anyway...)
>
> I have put the GA board in a box in the cellar by now: the cpu is
> too limited for anything usefull, decent documentation wouldn't help.

I won't argue that the GA144 is a universally useful device.  The first 
DSP chips were real dogs and highly specialized.  The first FPGAs lacked 
so many of the features FPGAs now have.  One of the first MCUs was the 
8051, the device everyone loves to hate.

The GA144 is the first device of it's kind.  Yes, it is crude and has a 
lot of limitations, but it has a lot of potential.


> GA144 is Chuck Moore's hobby horse masquerading as a commercial company.
> And his customer orientation is after all legendary. Novix
> multiplication bug: "It never affected any of my applications...".

I also won't argue with this.  I wasn't aware of the Novix mult bug. 
But I don't see GA as a great company in many respects, but then they 
ware working on a shoestring budget.  It's actually amazing they can get 
product out the door really.


> Whats needed is someone like Jeff Fox who can sell.
> And a more decent product. Not a bunch of crippled transputers,
> at 1,8 Volt, in a unbreadboardable package.

Can't say I follow here.  I agree that a programmable device with 1.8 
volt I/Os is a bit pointless... you need to do level conversion for 
nearly any I/O commonly used.  But what is wrong with the package?  If 
you are expecting DIPs you are so out of step with the real world, the 
world that actually buys product and keeps factory doors open.

My complaint with most of the FPGA makers is that they don't use a 
package like this.  Instead they use packages that require very fine 
pitch board layouts and very, very small drills.  0.4 mm spaced uBGAs 
are common.  Try using one of those, the GA144 10 mm sq package will 
seem a breath of fresh air.


> My odd advice:
> * if possible team up with Chip Gracey of Parallax.
> The propeller is much more usable and reasonably successfull.
> But obviously not enough for a second generation chip.
> The propeller multitasking is nice, the CPU is so-and-so,
> the Spin-language ugly.
> Something like a RTX2000 CPU and a FORTH in ROM combined
> with the propeller multitasker would be a decent combination
> that would appeal to two established small user communities.

If you are comparing the parallax with the GA144 you don't understand 
the GA144.  It is *not* just a collection of many processors.  Viewing 
it that way gets you nothing.  Think of a 22V10 compared to an FPGA, 
that would be the Parallax compared to the GA144.


> * test the market and finance via kickstarter / indiegogo.
> If a well prepared campaign doesn't succeed with the hobbyist
> and small volume user then its no go. There are no big volume
> industrial buyers readily available.

That is an interesting idea actually.

-- 

Rick

Back to comp.lang.forth | Previous | Next — Previous in thread | Next in thread | Find similar | Unroll thread

Thread

A clear victory for MMP Chris <xrissmith@me.com> - 2013-10-06 18:24 -0700
  Re: A clear victory for MMP Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2013-10-06 18:48 -0700
    Re: A clear victory for MMP jkn_gg@nicorp.f9.co.uk - 2013-10-08 10:51 -0700
  Re: A clear victory for MMP Howerd <howerdo@yahoo.co.uk> - 2013-10-07 04:44 -0700
    Re: A clear victory for MMP Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2013-10-07 07:13 -0500
      Re: A clear victory for MMP Howerd <howerdo@yahoo.co.uk> - 2013-10-07 05:43 -0700
    Re: A clear victory for MMP visualforth@rocketmail.com - 2013-10-08 10:42 -0700
    Re: A clear victory for MMP rickman <gnuarm@gmail.com> - 2013-10-11 02:18 -0400
      Re: A clear victory for MMP "Elizabeth D. Rather" <erather@forth.com> - 2013-10-10 20:35 -1000
    Re: A clear victory for MMP "Rod Pemberton" <dont_use_email@nohavenotit.com> - 2013-10-25 18:05 -0400
  Re: A clear victory for MMP Brad Eckert <hwfwguy@gmail.com> - 2013-10-10 11:28 -0700
    Re: A clear victory for MMP albert@spenarnc.xs4all.nl (Albert van der Horst) - 2013-10-10 23:01 +0000
      Re: A clear victory for MMP Rafael Deliano <rafael_deliano@arcor.de> - 2013-10-11 20:35 +0200
        Re: A clear victory for MMP forther <forther@gmail.com> - 2013-10-12 12:47 -0700
          Re: A clear victory for MMP rickman <gnuarm@gmail.com> - 2013-10-12 22:36 -0400
            Re: A clear victory for MMP forther <forther@gmail.com> - 2013-10-13 23:12 -0700
              Re: A clear victory for MMP rickman <gnuarm@gmail.com> - 2013-10-25 13:24 -0400
                Re: A clear victory for MMP Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2013-10-25 12:06 -0700
                Re: A clear victory for MMP rickman <gnuarm@gmail.com> - 2013-10-26 02:40 -0400
                Re: A clear victory for MMP Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2013-10-26 00:14 -0700
        Re: A clear victory for MMP rickman <gnuarm@gmail.com> - 2013-10-12 22:32 -0400
          Re: A clear victory for MMP Rafael Deliano <rafael_deliano@arcor.de> - 2013-10-13 10:36 +0200
            Re: A clear victory for MMP Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2013-10-13 20:46 -0700
            Re: A clear victory for MMP rickman <gnuarm@gmail.com> - 2013-10-25 13:55 -0400
              Re: A clear victory for MMP Rafael Deliano <rafael_deliano@arcor.de> - 2013-10-27 09:25 +0100
                Re: A clear victory for MMP Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2013-10-27 03:00 -0700
                Re: A clear victory for MMP Rafael Deliano <rafael_deliano@arcor.de> - 2013-10-27 11:50 +0100
                Re: A clear victory for MMP albert@spenarnc.xs4all.nl (Albert van der Horst) - 2013-10-27 10:02 +0000
                Re: A clear victory for MMP Rafael Deliano <rafael_deliano@arcor.de> - 2013-10-27 13:37 +0100
                Re: A clear victory for MMP rickman <gnuarm@gmail.com> - 2013-10-27 12:28 -0400
                Re: A clear victory for MMP rickman <gnuarm@gmail.com> - 2013-10-27 06:07 -0400
                Re: A clear victory for MMP Rafael Deliano <rafael_deliano@arcor.de> - 2013-10-27 13:03 +0100
        Re: A clear victory for MMP the_gavino_himself <visphatesjava@gmail.com> - 2013-11-06 16:57 -0800
  Re: A clear victory for MMP Chris <xrissmith@me.com> - 2013-10-16 20:11 -0700
    Re: A clear victory for MMP albert@spenarnc.xs4all.nl (Albert van der Horst) - 2013-10-17 12:14 +0000
      Re: A clear victory for MMP John Rible <google@sandpipers.com> - 2013-10-17 10:51 -0700
      Re: A clear victory for MMP "Rod Pemberton" <dont_use_email@nohavenotit.com> - 2013-10-18 03:30 -0400
  Re: A clear victory for MMP Chris <xrissmith@me.com> - 2013-11-01 20:13 -0700
  Re: A clear victory for MMP the_gavino_himself <visphatesjava@gmail.com> - 2013-11-06 16:59 -0800

csiph-web