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Power of embedded systems

Hi,

I have little knowledge about the recent development in the embedded systems domain. So, I would like to know your opinion/experience about dynamic compilation on state-of-the-art embedded systems. Dynamic compilation becomes more and more important on desktop PCs, but what about embedded systems?

Some years ago, ES were small platforms with very restricted resources such as memory. So, applications had to be kept small and compilation at run-time was not feasible (processor to slow, not enough space for dynamic compiler and the additional code...). How is the situation today? Are the resource still very limited or would a dynamic compilation at run-time be feasible? If so, do you know any concrete examples?

Thank you .

Best regards, Christian

Reply to
Christian Christmann
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Dynamic linking I know about. What's this dynamic compilation of which you speak? I'll assume that such a thing exists, although I have my doubts.

The same and different

be

Yes and no.

On the one hand, there are still plenty of itty bitty processors out there, doing marvelous jobs in thermostats, microwave ovens and PLCs. On the other hand, PCs, and other large 32- and 64-bit processors are being embedded into larger and larger systems.

That having been said, embedded systems are usually more tightly controlled for their hardware options; with a steady platform dynamic compilation is necessary (although on larger systems there are advantages to dynamic linking). It would be possible, however were I in charge of software on such a product the notion would give me the heebee-jeebees, with visions of all instances with serial numbers from

145678 through 14603 suddenly stopping during compile, and having to be sent back to the factory for new software. 
--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

Posting from Google?  See http://cfaj.freeshell.org/google/

"Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" came out in April.
See details at http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html
Reply to
Tim Wescott

One of the characteristics of an embedded computer system (e.g. iPod), as opposed to a computer with attached devices (e.g. iTunes), is running a fixed, closed set of software.

Under these circumstances, there isn't as much call for dynamic compilation. Maybe it would be useful in a resource-constrained environment, where you only have enough PROM for bytecode.

--
	mac the naïf
Reply to
Alex Colvin

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