Conclusion

So what have you learned? You have stepped through a basic CPU schematic and gained a general understanding of how the microprocessor, the RAM, and ROM all work together. You have successfully taken source code from a familiar, well- understood environment (a PC or Unix workstation) and molded it (through cross-compilation) into the raw binary data that is needed by the CPU on the circuit board. The bytes in the final file that we transferred to the device programmer a few chapters ago are the exact bytes that the CPU wants to see. They represent the instructions and data needed by the CPU to carry out the task that the C program suggests.

Youve stepped through a fairly generic approach that deals with the tough problem of booting an embedded system for the first time. The approach presented in this text is useful on a wide range of CPUs. MicroMonitor provides a good set of development tools and is useful with a variety of RTOSs and hardware platforms. Youve learned about some different types of debugging strategies, and youve seen, step by step, whats involved in porting the monitor to a new platform. Whats left?

I recall in my second semester of college calculus asking my professor Is there any other math stuff after this? If she had any coffee in her mouth at the time, I would have been soaked!

An overview like this is only the beginning. Embedded systems programming involves a lot of decision-making. Some solutions might be outstanding for some situations. In other situations, the same approach might not even fit. Although no single text is able to make these decisions for you, hopefully, this book has provided some insight that helps in the decision-making process. This industry is very exciting, and it is certainly not for those who are afraid of change. On one hand, you dont want to let yourself get left behind as new technologies and techniques emerge; on the other hand, you dont want to jump onto every ship that pulls in just because its something new. Keep digging, and look to the industry to see what looks good to you. Dont just follow hype. Investigate new tools and techniques, think about new strategies, and always consider your options.