> > Hopefully, we'll produce a top-notch development environment for the
> > PIC16C84 which can be compiled for just about any platform.
>
> Sounds great but I see no mention of a programmer.
> This is fairly key in the development environment isn't it?

Not in this instance. Since the initialize target is the 16C84 and there
are several designeds out for programming it. The COM84 programmer is
quite effective.

Right now I'm thinking about putting together an interpretive environment
a-la the BASIC Stamp. Like the stamp the program would be saved in a
serial EEPROM. Unlike the stamp I'd like to add a 4 chip static RAM
circuit for storing the program and data like the 8031. On Boot up
the PIC loads the RAM from the EEPROM and off it goes. I plan to use
a separate serial based loader to load up the EEPROM thus removing the
need for the board to have to load it.

It's just in the thought phase right now...

But the bottom line is that we have programmers but very little in the
way of programming tools that are cross platform. I use DOS/Windows once
every fifth blue moon. So Unix/serial based tools are top priority.

BAJ