Until the day that hardware can design itself, humans will have got use hardware-description languages. So, which one should you use?

Point

Compiling software to gates
by Ian Page
Are VHDL and Verilog past their prime, soon to be replaced by C-like design languages such as System C, Handel-C, and others? Professor Ian Page thinks a change is at hand.

Counterpoint

Back to the language roots
by James L. Lee
It's not time for the revolution yet. Traditional hardware-description languages have specific features that make them superior to software programming languages; although SystemC has its place in the hardware-design process, it still can't compete with Verilog and VHDL.

Generate stepper-motor speed profiles in real time
by David Austin
A new algorithm for stepper-motor acceleration allows speed profiles to be parameterized and calculated in real time. This algorithm can run on a low-end microcontroller using only simple fixed-point arithmetic operations and no data tables. It develops an accurate approximation for the timing of a linear ramp with constant acceleration and deceleration.

Managing Tasks on x86 Processors
by Jim Turley
Intel's x86 microprocessors can automatically manage tasks just like a simple operating system. There are many tricks and pitfalls, however, but with the right approach the programmer can get great performance at zero cost.

Programming Pointers
More ways to map memory
by Dan Saks
The most elegant and pleasing notation might not be the most efficient one.

Break Points
Disaster Redux!
by Jack G. Ganssle
No one wants a pacemaker, but if you had one, wouldn't you want it to be reliable? Jack shares more horror stories and lessons.

CEO Soapbox
The view from 2005: When People, Process, and Technology Are Equal
by Ken Klein, Wind River Systems
Today the average device has a million lines of code; two years from now it will be twice that.

#include
Happy New Year!
by Jim Turley
The new year brings some new features to Embedded Systems Programming magazine, including a greater focus on the FPGA and programmable logic. Jim introduces his plans for 2005.