Cover Story
Safety First: Avoiding Software Mishaps
by Charles Knutson and Sam Carmichael
Accidents happen. That's just part of life. But when mission- or safety-critical systems experience failures due to faulty software, serious questions are raised.
Special Report
Embedded Salary Survey
by Merlina Trevino
For the embedded systems developer, stereotypes abound. The image of young, specialized high-tech workers toiling in a computer-filled lab, sipping Jolt cola late into the night is popular with the media. But the results of ESP's 2000 Salary Survey paint a very different picture of the real embedded workforce and workplace.
Eight-Bit OO (Hard Eight)
by Marshall Meier
Using object-oriented techniques to design software for an 8-bit microcontroller may not be common, but it can be effective. This article tells how one project did it and what they learned.
Better Than Average
by Phil Ekstrom
Some averages are better than others. In particular, the median may give more useful results than the mean in some circumstances.
Watchdog Timers
by Niall Murphy
To keep a watchdog timer from resetting your system, you've got to kick it regularly. But that's not all there is to watchdog science. We will examine the use and testing of a watchdog, as well as the integration of a watchdog into a multitasking environment.
Distributed Software Design: Challenges and Solutions
by Bran Selic
In contrast to centralized systems, distributed systems add a new layer of comlexity to the already difficult problem of software design. In spite of that and for a variety of reasons, more and more modern-day software systems are distributed.
News Analysis
Embedded ICs: Expanding the Possibilities
by Alexander Wolfe
As designs start to proliferate in the more complex 16-, 32-, and 64-bit realms, the days of selecting a mild-mannered, off-the-shelf processor may be numbered. That's because semiconductor vendors are unleashing a new crop of heavy-duty cores, beefed up instruction sets that add DSP support, and system-on-chip options. This article will explore what's driving these trends and look at a few of the latest offerings.
Internet Appliance Design
NP Complete
by Mark Kohler
The first generation of network processors is finally here. But what are they good for and how do they work?
Network Protocols for the Home
by John Canosa
With always-on high-bandwidth Internet connections come the possibility for multiple devices within the home to share this resource. And, of course, they'll also be doing a lot of internal communication over home-area networks.
Embedded Internet Tools
New Internet appliance design products.
