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Tag: Embedded Systems

I’ve been writing software in C since 1991. While that was shortly after the ratification of the C89/90 standard, it took at least a few years for most compilers to catch up. So my formative years in C were spent developing code for compilers that weren’t yet standards conformant. Certain features were hit and miss. Since much of my development work involves C, I try to keep up with new developments. I freely admit that I don’t know it all; and every few years someone teaches me a new trick or hack that makes life just a little bit easier. Recently, I found a major gap in my understanding of one important aspect of the language.

Continue reading “Structs in Wonderland” »

Not so very long ago, I was given an assignment to perform a forensic analysis on a piece of firmware. It seems that my client’s device had a rather spectacular failure which endangered many lives. The job was critical, but this was new territory for me.

Continue reading “Slicing with Dijkstra” »

The so-called experts will tell you it can’t be done; it is not possible to create bug-free software, at least at low-cost for a non-trivial application. Now it seems, we have our first documented case of ostensibly zero-defect software.

Continue reading “Correctness by Construction: Praxis Scores!” »

What is it about creating firmware that can make a seasoned journeyman software developer forget everything he or she ever learned about software design?

Continue reading “Amateur Hour” »

Well, the barriers to entry into the avionics market may have come down, if only a little.

Continue reading “Supercomputing in Space” »

Okay, the news was broken months ago… and I’m still in awe.  The Sony Playstation 3 will be released with a more powerful CPU than is currently available in any computer in a PC format.  Currently, the only computer I know of that will eventually make use of this chip is IBM’s Blade line of servers.  No home computing resource even comes close.

Continue reading “The World’s Most Powerful PC: The Playstation 3” »

Part I of this article described the various types of software architect.  In this article we’ll describe the work they do, or should do, in a bit more detail. 

Continue reading “The Role of the Software Architect, Part II” »

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