Re: Help with embedded hardware/software platform selection for ADA

["Dmitry A. Kazakov" <mailbox@dmitry-kazakov.de>]

On Wed, 03 Jul 2013 10:03:30 +0200, Georg Bauhaus wrote:

> On 03.07.13 09:18, Dmitry A. Kazakov wrote:
>> On Tue, 2 Jul 2013 15:21:06 -0700 (PDT), mjsilva@scriptoriumdesigns.com
>> wrote:
>>
>>> I could add to this list of examples indefinitely, without coming anywhere
>>> near your Windows/Linux/VxWorks world.
>>
>> Sure, like doing physical layer of Ethernet using digital inputs and
>> outputs. The only question is why anybody would like to?
> 
> Rather, the question is, what *are* these programmers actually
> *doing*, and *buying*?

They buy Ethernet controllers...

> "Using cutting edge sensors and powerful
> algorithms, each car in Drive knows where it is."

No idea, except that "cutting edge" sensors by no mean require us cycles.
 
> Another fashionable product, which is currently pricey, is
> LED light bulb control. Is an Arduino with ham radio attached
> to every bulb even reasonable?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DMX512

We used DMX for Landegartenschau outdoor installation in Hamburg:

This is one of the lamps:

http://payload8.cargocollective.com/1/0/20783/2464449/lg_10.jpg

Each lamp's LED is individually controlled over DMX. This is the map:

http://cargocollective.com/christinametzler/Infografik-Landesgartenschau

Each dot on the map is a lamp. The installation is controlled from Windows
computers. We could possibly do it much easier (and cheaper) using our
embedded Ada middleware and its network protocol instead of Windows + DMX.
But it was not available then.

No us cycles needed to control LED lamps. Essential is exact time
synchronization and huge data flow needed for such an installation.

>> Anyway if you want this, why don't you use some Ada to C compiler?
> 
> AdaCore's (formerly SofCheck's) requires a C (or C++) runtime,
> and builds a runtime for Ada on top of it, IIUC. So this doesn't
> change the picture.

It does because the premise was: no run-time at all. Then it is perfectly
feasible to compile some arithmetic stuff written in Ada into C.

My point is either you have no run-time or else, full Ada, please.

-- 
Regards,
Dmitry A. Kazakov
http://www.dmitry-kazakov.de