In SX Microcontrollers, SX/B Compiler and SX-Key Tool, David Jensen wrote:

"Until then, those of us who need the speed may need to look elsewhere (There are ~100Mips 8051's out there @ a few $ea)."

A 100-pin TQFP?  May as well use a TMS320series DSP.  Or burn the functionality into a 144-pin FPGA.  I mean there are all sorts of solutions for speed.  But none of them come in a little plastic DIP for $3.  And none of them use a fabulous in-circuit development tool like the SX-Key that costs less than $50.  And none of them are designed to exploit the virtual peripheral paradigm.

Meanwhile, if all you need to do is generate a 1kHz squarewave, two 8-cent 2N3904's in a MMV config will do the trick.  Or if a soldering iron puts you off, use a PIC12F508... $0.56 cents single piece price.

My point is this: Until you've used an SX for something that only an SX can do, I don't think you can relate to the profound loss that the EOL represents.  I've got a collection of IP tied to a specific hardware platform, programming paradigm, and physical size that is now worth squat.  A several year supply of chips helps very little.  I can't design new products with a discontinued chip.  It isn't ethical to my clients.

I'm certainly not angry with Parallax.. Quite the contrary... They are true public benefactors.  If it weren't for Parallax the SX would already be gone.  And we wouldn't have the SX-Key.  The SX-Key they floated me at the 1998 Embedded Systems conference was a work of benevolence rarely ever matched in my experience.  And my designs have employed thousands of the chips, not out of quid pro quo but because of the absolute superiority of the product.

I liked the comparison someone made to the Cash for Clunkers program...crushing to death perfectly serviceable cars.  And this saves energy and resources how?

Either lawyers or the government must be involved in the Ubicom decision.  No one else would be this stupid.

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