Subtract software costs by adding CPUs
by Jack G. Ganssle
The best way to get a project done on time is to break it into smaller, more manageable chunks. That theory works better than some programmers suspect, extending even into multiprocessing systems. Jack Ganssle shows how breaking one big program into smaller programs that each run on their own processor can work wonders on performance, schedules, and sanity.

How to analyze processor features for network use
by Markus Levy
EEMBC benchmarks may help you analyze and decide which processor to use in your network application. This article explains various benchmarks and how you can interpret their results. It also shows an example.

ESP Research
Survey says: software tools more important than chips
by Jim Turley
Each year Embedded Systems Programming conducts a large-scale survey of embedded systems developers around the world. Starting with this issue we'll be publishing the results of the survey in installments. This month's installment reveals how engineers, programmers, developers, and managers choose a microprocessor. In future issues we'll cover some surprising data about operating systems, popular vendors, programming languages, schedules, budgets, and more.

Programming Pointers
Sizing and aligning device registers
by Dan Saks
Modeling memory-mapped device registers is easy in concept but can be tricky in practice.

Break Points
Scoping out palm-sized USB oscilloscopes
by Jack G. Ganssle
Have scope will travel. Jack evaluates three cool “microscopes”—USB oscilloscopes that fit in the palm of your hand or next to your pocket protector.

#include
Know thyself, know thy industry
by Jim Turley
What ICs are your peers using these days? What languages and operating systems do they favor? Over the next year, we'll post the results of the Embedded Systems Programming survey online and in the magazine. Here's a little background behind the study.

Analyst's Corner
New semiconductor markets ensure continued growth
by Morry Marshall
Within five years, the number of digital homes will match or surpass the number of homes with computer networks today.

CEO Soapbox
A picture is worth a thousand lines of code
by James Truchard
Graphical system design and prototyping opens the doors of embedded systems development to the masses.