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- Path: sparky!uunet!olivea!apple!apple!apn
- From: apn@Apple.COM (Alex Novickis)
- Newsgroups: comp.realtime
- Subject: Re: realtime kernel for 8051
- Message-ID: <70443@apple.Apple.COM>
- Date: 24 Jul 92 21:10:11 GMT
- References: <1992Jun29.041154.874@ucc.su.OZ.AU> <3JUL199214244641@pine.circa.ufl.edu> <70352@apple.Apple.COM>
- Organization: Apple Computer Inc., Cupertino, CA
- Lines: 88
-
-
- >>In article <70352@apple.Apple.COM> you write:
- >>
- >>I've had real problems with franklin, and I would, If I had to do it over
- >>gone with some other vendor.
-
-
- I've recieved some E-MAIL asking to post the specific problems I've
- experienced with Franklin S/W... So here goes:
-
- Bugs I've found in S/W to date -
-
- Assembler - 1) Tabs in src file do not expand to correct placing in listing
- 2) Certain errors in src file will print an error but no line #
- SRC Line to long will do this for example.
- 3) Reported line number of error does not always match actual
- line number of error.
-
- I can deal with #1, but #2 & #3 ??? Come on guys.... I can write
- an assembler in a week and not have those problems.
-
- Debugger/Simulator
-
- - 1) Can log to disk file output of some of the commands, but not
- all. Noteably, can't save output of disasm listing.
-
- - 2) Register display is limited to register bank 0
-
-
- - 3) Demo & S/W has nice looking mouse scroll type bars on window.
- Too bad they don't support mice.
-
- Symbolic debugger
-
- - 1) Doesn't access symbols all the time. Seemed to work OK for
- very small files, though.
-
- - 2) Crashes (The debugger running on PC Host) when doing display
- memory commands (and others)
-
-
- Debug monitor
- - 1) No clues are given anywhere in the manual as to how this
- software is to be installed in the target. The best answer
- I got from franklin was to buy their development card. It
- was not totally unreasonable in price, but they quoted me
- months for delivery.
-
-
- CPU support - 1) Originally when I called and asked them about how they
- support other 51 derivatives, they said it does. Well,
- I guess it does, but you have to make your own register
- definition files (They include for 51, 52 and one other
- CPU, I forget which). The debugger/simulator doesn't
- support them at all.
-
-
- And for the best problem I've had with Franklin... I bought the "Professional
- Development" package from them. I sent in the registration card. Two months
- later I called to order the upgrade package. They said that I had not
- registered my original S/W with them, and they could not process an order
- withouth that. I explained that I sent in the registration and that was all
- I could do. They proceeded to tell me that since they have not received the
- registration I would have to get another registration card (for $25.00) and
- send it in again. I did that & ordered the ($599) upgrade. Four months later
- I still have yet to see it.
-
- If I call and ask for tech support, I can usually get someone to return a
- call within a week, but they usually say things like "Well, It works for me"
- and they refer me to example files. When I find problems within the example
- files, they say they will look into it on the next release. Part of problem
- is Franklin is a two person company as best I can tell and most of the s/w
- was written by people who are not available to them.
-
- I also have their compiler, and I called and asked for a reference guide
- to the library that they provided me - There is none available, I was told.
-
- I did manage to get my project done, but, I'm not impressed with their
- attitude nor their product.
-
-
-
-
- --
- Alex P. Novickis, Real Time systems demi-guru. (W) 408-370-4541
- ALINK:alex.n
- UUCP:{amdahl,claris,pyramid,sun,decwrl,well,ubvax,ames}!apn@apple.com,apn@nonvon
- "I think... I think it's in my basement. Let me go upstairs and check"-Escher.
-