From: keltee AT attglobal DOT net (Kel Tyree) Newsgroups: comp.realtime,comp.os.msdos.programmer,comp.os.linux.development.system,comp.os.linux.embedded,comp.os.msdos.djgpp Subject: OS, tools selection Date: 9 Aug 2002 14:19:50 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com/ Lines: 55 Message-ID: <797576f5.0208091319.19be6ab6@posting.google.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: 32.100.5.35 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Trace: posting.google.com 1028927990 8963 127.0.0.1 (9 Aug 2002 21:19:50 GMT) X-Complaints-To: groups-abuse AT google DOT com NNTP-Posting-Date: 9 Aug 2002 21:19:50 GMT To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com DJ-Gateway: from newsgroup comp.os.msdos.djgpp Reply-To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com I could use some good advice. I am a newbie to SW development in the current PC environment, though I do have a strong background with assembler (and machine code) in embedded applications, as well as some experience with QuickBasic and (long ago) Fortran. I have also taken courses in C, C++, and Java, though I don't have a lot of experience with them. I am about to dive into a semi-embedded project (it would be nice if the system were available as a general purpose PC, though that is not absolutely necessary) that is focused on a legacy *ISA* data acquisition card. The interface to the board is fairly straightforward, with a few mapped I/O ports and a single HW interrupt line. The stickiest part is that about 1500 bytes must be transferred (to RAM from a fixed I/O address) at each interrupt (they're about 200 microseconds apart). The rest of the application consists of a user interface (with a dozen or so buttons, a few dialog boxes, etc.), a little file handling, and some event-response logic. I was planning to attack this with Visual C++ (which I already have) and run it on Win2K. I recently learned that W2K won't let me access the hardware directly -- that I'll have to write a device driver. I have downloaded the DDK, but I have the impression that I either have to spend a great deal of time learning how to write and debug a device driver or spend a lot ($4K?) to get "turnkey" driver generator. Since I have a good amount of learning to do anyway, it *could* make sense for me to change horses now -- before I get to the middle of the rapids. Though I'm fairly happy with W2K (it is everything that Microsoft claimed Win 95 would be), I am not an ardent MS supporter (would that make me an MS jock strap?) and do not relish a future that involves an ever-increasing Microsoft Tax (conveniently deducted from your paycheck?). I understand that the successor to Win XP won't even boot unless it recognizes the chip implanted in your brain... Does anyone have specific suggestions about an OS, development tools, and/or learning materials that would make this a not-too-unpleasant and not-too-expensive experience? Any alternative (to W2K) OS environment must run on fairly modern platforms (the latest mobos that have an ISA slot with the fastest compatible CPUs, a few hundred MB of RAM, a few hundred GB of HD capacity, etc.) and it must have plenty of drivers for modern conveniences like CD and DVD recorders and NICs. I would appreciate any help. Thanks, Kel REMOVEkelteeTHIS AT attglobal DOT net