>- > > reports here that Digikey has them. Do I need to call them?
>- > >
>- > > Thanks for any info.
>- >
>- > The pricing on the 16$877 is double that of the
>- > ATMEL AVR 90LS8535, which has more goodies in it.
>-
>- Not helpful Tjaart, but I'll bite.
>-
>- I'm a Linux guy and I only use Linux for my development. Does Atmel or anyone

>- else have a Linux/Unix based assembler,simulator and programmer for the
>- 90LS8535?
>-
>- I can use gpasm for program the 877, I already have a high voltage 16C84

>- pic programm to program it and the software to drive the programmer. gpsim

>- has come along nicely.
>-
>- The software I'm using is already written in PIC assembly.
>-
>- I'm not buying production quantites so even at double the price it's well

>- worth my investment.
>-
>- Actually this is helpful. You said that the Atmel part is $5.90. So at double

>- the price we're talking about $12 or so. That helps. Thanks.
>
>And an addendum. Where can you get Atmel parts. As a hobbiest it's tough
>making relationships with distributors who really only want to talk to you

>you're planning on buying a half million pieces. So Generally I stick to
>hobbiest friendly places: Digikey, BGMicro, Jameco, Marshall and DallasSemi's

>small order lines. I'll go out on a limb to Future or Arrow if the part
>warrants it.
>
>Digikey has full integration of Microchip. I haven't seen Atmel there or
>anywhere else I frequent.
>
>I saw somewhere that for almost any product that there's a 10X price spread

>between the low end and high end of the product. IIRC the example was that

>two are style, material, craftsmanship, etc.
>
>It's the same here. Microchip has worked damn hard to cultivate its PIC line.

>They have been open and hobbiest friendly from the beginning. PIC is a brand

>name and a pretty good one at that.
>
>My grandfather only bought Zenith TV's. They were always more expensive, but

>that's what he trusted. That's how I feel about PICs. So unless there is
>an extremely compelling reason to switch, I probably won't. And even at $15

>a pop, the 16C877 is a godsend.
>
>I've learned from experience that standardizing even at a higher average cost

>saves time and aggravation in the long run. So AMD based PCs are my computing

>hardware platform, Linux is my OS, and PIC's are my microcontroller.
>
>BAJ
>

> - > > reports here that Digikey has them. Do I need to call them?
> - > >
> - > > Thanks for any info.
> - >
> - > The pricing on the 16$877 is double that of the
> - > ATMEL AVR 90LS8535, which has more goodies in it.
> -
> - Not helpful Tjaart, but I'll bite.
> -
> - I'm a Linux guy and I only use Linux for my development. Does Atmel or anyon
e
> - else have a Linux/Unix based assembler,simulator and programmer for the
> - 90LS8535?
> -
> - I can use gpasm for program the 877, I already have a high voltage 16C84
> - pic programm to program it and the software to drive the programmer. gpsim
> - has come along nicely.
> -
> - The software I'm using is already written in PIC assembly.
> -
> - I'm not buying production quantites so even at double the price it's well
> - worth my investment.
> -
> - Actually this is helpful. You said that the Atmel part is $5.90. So at doubl
e
> - the price we're talking about $12 or so. That helps. Thanks.
>
> And an addendum. Where can you get Atmel parts.

> As a hobbiest it's tough
> making relationships with distributors who really only want to talk to you if
> you're planning on buying a half million pieces. So Generally I stick to
> hobbiest friendly places: Digikey, BGMicro, Jameco, Marshall and DallasSemi's
> small order lines. I'll go out on a limb to Future or Arrow if the part
> warrants it.
>
> Digikey has full integration of Microchip. I haven't seen Atmel there or
> anywhere else I frequent.
>
> I saw somewhere that for almost any product that there's a 10X price spread
> between the low end and high end of the product. IIRC the example was that one
> could buy a $30 kitchen faucet or a $300 kitchen faucet. The issue between the
> two are style, material, craftsmanship, etc.
>
> It's the same here. Microchip has worked damn hard to cultivate its PIC line.
> They have been open and hobbiest friendly from the beginning. PIC is a brand
> name and a pretty good one at that.
>
> My grandfather only bought Zenith TV's. They were always more expensive, but
> that's what he trusted. That's how I feel about PICs. So unless there is
> an extremely compelling reason to switch, I probably won't. And even at $15
> a pop, the 16C877 is a godsend.
>
> I've learned from experience that standardizing even at a higher average cost
> saves time and aggravation in the long run. So AMD based PCs are my computing
> hardware platform, Linux is my OS, and PIC's are my microcontroller.
>
> BAJ

>
> > I've learned from experience that standardizing even at a higher average cos
t
> > saves time and aggravation in the long run. So AMD based PCs are my computin
g
> > hardware platform, Linux is my OS, and PIC's are my microcontroller.
> I agree. Check out the migration path between AVR's.
>
> No banking means no migration headaches. Have you had
> a look at the Mega AVR? It is an awesome beast with 4X
> the memory of the biggest PIC and a series of other bells
> & whistles. It is also flash (of course), and cheaper than
> the 17$7XX OTP PICs.

> As to why Linux, it's my choice. I realize that means that I'm shut out of
> a lot of environments, but I can live with that.
>
> Your points are relavent if you are buying several thousand parts. Costs are
> the critical issue. But for a hobbiest like myself that's going to one-off
> projects, comfort with both the part and the development environment are key.
>
> BTW I use external EEPROMS because I get the ability to program in-circuit
> without have to deal with the overhead of building a full-fledged programmer
> for the controller in-circuit.
>
> Lastly the 16$877 as you call it has an excellent I2C interface so minimal
> library code is necessary for setup and xmission.