I used to work for Tallgrass Technologies (the tape drive company). 
Toward the end of that companies' live, it got purchased by Exabyte 
(out of Boulder, CO).

Exabyte was a hardware company. They made tape drives. They didn't 
make any software (backup/restore software). They treated 
the "embedded software" that went into their products as "firmware" 
and it was assigned a hardware part number. A hardware engineer was in 
charge of maintaining it. Absolutely NO software version control 
software/techniques were applied to the development of 
this "firmware". They could track ANY changes that they'd made over 
the course of the product's (development) life, except for a piece of 
paper squirreled away somewhere in this guy's desk.

My point is this: It's all software, whether it goes into a PC or a 
piece of embedded hardware. Treat it as such. Use software version 
control software/systems where ever possible.

Douglas Wood

----- Original Message -----
From: Carey Fisher <careyfisher@ncsradio.com>
Date: Tuesday, May 9, 2006 9:25 am
Subject: Re: [EE] PCB serial number
To: "Microcontroller discussion list - Public." <piclist@mit.edu>

> 
> 
> Olin Lathrop wrote:
> > William Chops Westfield wrote:
> >   
> >> Um.  Do people version-control their board files, complete with
> >> something visible on the board?e(s)
> >>     
> >
> > I certainly do.
> >
> > ******************************************************************
> > Embed Inc, Littleton Massachusetts, (978) 742-9014.  #1 PIC
> > consultant in 2004 program year.  http://www.embedinc.com/products
> >   
> Our Boards have the Assembly # and bare board # combined as in : 
> "AS/PCB100123 Rev C" printed in silkscreen along with our name and 
> copyright date(s).
> This business would be a mess without Configuration Control!!!!!!
> 
> The only issue I am struggling with is how to ID and track 
> firmware 
> revisions???  Especially since I occasionally ICSP an updated or 
> bespoke 
> firmware version on one or more specific units.  We don't track 
> specific 
> PCBs by S/N - maybe we should?  How do others do this?
> 
> Carey (Rev 0)
> -- 
> 
> *Carey Fisher, Chief Technical Officer
> New Communications Solutions, LLC
> *careyfisher@ncsradio.com <mailto:careyfisher@ncsradio.com>
> Toll Free Phone:888-883-5788
> Local Phone:770-814-0683
> FAX: 888-883-5788
> www.ncsradio.com <http://www.ncsradio.com/>
> 
> -- 
> http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
> View/change your membership options at
> http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist
> 
-- 
http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist