[Oberon] New platform of possible interest to Oberon community

[Aubrey.McIntosh at Alumni.UTexas.Net]

There is a new microprocessor that is using a mature core.  Some
relevant links are
    http://www.microcontroller.com/news/microchip_pic32.asp
    http://www.microchip.com/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=2591

This uses the MIPS MK4 core.  A "core" is a specific CAD description
used to make a specific model of silicon to implement an instruction
set.

I learned of this when Mouser sent me an email announcing a new
product.  This product was announced in November 2007 and is new on
the market.  The higher end of the chips have 64 k RAM and 512 K
flash.  In my mind, this makes this one chip approximately the power
of the late 1980s AT class motherboard.  They cost about $5 in
quantity 10K, but I don't have the single quantity price at hand.

For me, at least, this seems to use those skills I honed in the 80s.
It probably matters that I can deal with registers and clock cycles
instead of only knowing Java libraries.  Also, it is new in the
market.

I looked for Oberon support.  I had thought there was a compiler for
the DEC Ultrix that was MIPS based.  I found a binaries only
distribution of the Creiler compiler, but so far no sources.  As
things go in software, it would be important to know if the 1991
"MIPS" is the same as the 2008 "MIPS"

Anyway, it may be that this is an opportunity for the Oberon community.
-- 
-- 
Aubrey McIntosh, Ph.D.
1502 Devon Circle
Austin TX 78723-1814
http://home.grandecom.net/~amcintosh/aubrey/Search/