Re: [avr-chat] Can't Install avr-gcc in FreeBSD

[Bob Paddock]

On Mon, 20 Aug 2007 10:24:11 -0400, David Brown <address@hidden>  
wrote:

> Chris "open source is only used by hobbyists and other irrelevant poor  
> people" Hills

I have the "latests and greatest", all paid for, version of IAR for
the AVR right here.  I've yet to take it out of the envelope
and load it up.  The last time I "upgraded", their install process
ate all the files on my hard disk.    I use GCC because the support
has been magnitudes better that paid support I've every received from IAR.

The one real GCC bug that I found an reported was fixed within a couple
of days.  It feels like it takes that long with IAR just to prove
to them that I have a legitimate copy.  A real problem with IAR resulted
in "we'll fix it in the next release" several months away.

I was also contacted by IAR 'support' three times saying "I thought
you where going to order the upgrade?", long after the upgrade
I ordered had arrived.

> or Wilco "gcc is ten years behind commercial compiler technology"

Actually GCC, and the commercial compilers also, *are* years behind
what is happening at the very high end of software development.
Places like Fly-by-Wire, and Nuclear Power Plant design, for example.

This is one of the better examples:

http://www.esterel-technologies.com/

'Draw' your specifications and out pops your code, and
the approval paperwork as well.  Prices start around $30k.

There is older version of the Version 5 Esterel Compiler that is
freeware, and there is the Open Source version done by Professor
Edwards at Columbia. These are the older text based versions.
Google for 'esterl.org'.