On 22/01/2021 09:33, Joe wrote:
> On 22 Jan 2021 06:51:03 GMT
> A. Dumas  wrote:
>
>> gareth evans  wrote:
>>> On 21/01/2021 21:51, A. Dumas wrote:
>>>> gareth evans  wrote:
>>>>> ... and it's a great disappointment to me that it's not a 64-bit
>>>>> processor
>>>>
>>>> Name one.
>>>
>>> As the Pi4 is a 64 bit processor, one assumed that all future
>>> developments by that company would be 64 bit.
>>
>> That's a general purpose CPU for use in general purpose computers
>> (like the Pi 4). This new thing is a microcontroller chip for use in
>> microcontrollers. There are currently no 64-bit microcontrollers on
>> the market. I can imagine it one day moving that way, maybe for
>> portable image recognition stuff? For now, it would be a very, very
>> specialised niche and that's not Raspberry Pi's aim.
>
> Indeed. I've yet to find a need for more than eight bits in a
> microcontroller, along with a maximum of 2KB of RAM. If I need more
> power, it's a RPi.
>

It is 50 years ago this year that I cut my teeth on a naked
PDP11/20 with no OS and only an assembler. Everything I did
was up to me.

Over the years I have been involved in real-time OS
development and language interpreters to the extent
that in my retirement I've an N-I-H stance towards
others' software.

I'd like to relive my youth but with the 64-bit instruction
set of the ARM but without being imbrangled in all the
bolt-on (Lancashire?  :-)  ) goodies that the RPi4 has.

I don't have the capability to produce the PCB and
solder down a BGA myself, despite a radio ham's
junk box of nearly 60 years' standing.

In my retirement, I have some ideas on language
development, essentially interactive as was BASIC
and FORTH but running at the speed of compiled
code, and the 64 bit ARM instruction set looks
like a good starter.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05