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Re: what is the best SBC?

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On 12/7/2016 12:38 PM, Theo Markettos wrote:
> However I'd say one distinction is about supply chain.  These are /consumer/
> products - here today, gone tomorrow.  Likely Android will be around for
> years in some form (like Windows CE is still), but basing your product on
> the hottest tablet of 2017 is pretty risky because it likely won't last more
> than a year.

Then don't base the *product* on the tablet; rather, base the product on
an abstraction that the tablet can reify.

E.g., I exploit lots of consumer kit (think:  dirt cheap, almost disposable)
for UI's.  As long as I can port my "UI services" to <whatever>, I don't
care exactly *what* that <whatever> happens to be.

[Of course, I go to great pains to decouple the implementation from the
supporting hardware/software/OS]

E.g., I use a variety of PDA's (in lieu of smart phones) as little
"wireless graphic terminals".  They run different (native) OS's but
each run the same look-and-feel "application" (that implements the GUI).

This week, port the GUI to a rescued Nook Color.  Different manufacturer,
size, shape, battery life, etc.  But, same "application" (which, obviously,
knows how to adapt to different screen sizes and aspect ratios).

*Next* week, it may be a Toshiba tablet, etc.

> Similarly, as consumer products they aren't really set up for
> the rough and tumble of industrial life, nor are they designed for
> integrating into larger systems.  So they are 'computers', but they aren't
> /industrial/ computers,

You'd be amazed at how many industrial processes are controlled by
consumer kit!  <frown>  Typically, a developer got the "Great Idea"
that he could leverage all this UI stuff by repurposing some COTS
product.  *But*, then followed this with the Bad Idea of developing
the product *on* that device -- inheriting all of its limitations
(instead of just cherry-picking the good bits).

Sort of like the "let's use a COTS SBC -- but, STILL have to design and
layout our own custom 'daughter card' cuz the SBC doesn't have just the
right mix of I/O's".  (Then, being stuck with that particular SBC because
you didn't make a deliberate effort to decouple the design from the
base hardware/software)

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what is the best SBC? andre <ahr@blabla.be> - 2016-11-30 10:26 +0100
  Re: what is the best SBC? Jack <jack4747@gmail.com> - 2016-11-30 01:29 -0800
    Re: what is the best SBC? "tim..." <tims_new_home@yahoo.com> - 2016-11-30 12:35 +0000
      Re: what is the best SBC? Jack <jack4747@gmail.com> - 2016-11-30 05:22 -0800
        Re: what is the best SBC? Ozzie <oz@au.com> - 2016-12-01 19:00 +0800
          Re: what is the best SBC? Jack <jack4747@gmail.com> - 2016-12-01 04:26 -0800
            Re: what is the best SBC? "Boudewijn Dijkstra" <sp4mtr4p.boudewijn@indes.com> - 2016-12-05 11:24 +0100
              Re: what is the best SBC? Jack <jack4747@gmail.com> - 2016-12-05 02:46 -0800
                Re: what is the best SBC? Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2016-12-05 13:28 +0200
                Re: what is the best SBC? Phil Martel <pomartel@comcast.net> - 2016-12-05 10:52 -0500
                Re: what is the best SBC? Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2016-12-06 04:44 +0200
                Re: what is the best SBC? Jack <jack4747@gmail.com> - 2016-12-05 23:30 -0800
                Re: what is the best SBC? Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2016-12-06 10:27 +0200
                Re: what is the best SBC? Jack <jack4747@gmail.com> - 2016-12-06 01:53 -0800
                Re: what is the best SBC? Theo Markettos <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> - 2016-12-07 19:38 +0000
                Re: what is the best SBC? Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> - 2016-12-07 13:21 -0700
              Re: what is the best SBC? upsidedown@downunder.com - 2016-12-05 21:12 +0200
                Re: what is the best SBC? Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2016-12-05 11:57 -0800
  Re: what is the best SBC? Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> - 2016-11-30 02:38 -0700
    Re: what is the best SBC? andre <ahr@blabla.be> - 2016-11-30 10:53 +0100
      Re: what is the best SBC? Wouter van Ooijen <wouter@voti.nl> - 2016-11-30 18:13 +0100
        Re: what is the best SBC? rickman <gnuarm@gmail.com> - 2016-11-30 12:31 -0500
      Re: what is the best SBC? Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> - 2016-11-30 13:23 -0700
  Re: what is the best SBC? Tim Wescott <tim@seemywebsite.com> - 2016-11-30 12:14 -0600
    Re: what is the best SBC? Simon Clubley <clubley@remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP> - 2016-12-02 20:04 +0000
      Re: what is the best SBC? Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> - 2016-12-02 13:38 -0700
  Re: what is the best SBC? asdf <asdf@nospam.com> - 2016-12-01 15:16 +0000

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