October 2006
Intermediate to advanced
336 pages
9h 13m
English
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Chapter 1. Introduction
I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.
—Thomas Watson, Chairman of IBM, 1943
There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.
—Ken Olson, President of Digital Equipment Corporation,
1977
One of the more surprising developments of the last few decades has been the ascendance of computers to a position of prevalence in human affairs. Today there are more computers in our homes and offices than there are people who live and work in them. Yet many of these computers are not recognized as such by their users. In this chapter, we’ll explain what embedded systems are and where they are found. We will also introduce the subject of embedded programming and discuss what makes it a unique form of software programming. We’ll explain why we have selected C as the language for this book and describe the hardware used in the examples.
What Is an Embedded System?
An embedded system is a combination of computer hardware and software—and perhaps additional parts, either mechanical or electronic—designed to perform a dedicated function. A good example is the microwave oven. Almost every household has one, and tens of millions of them are used every day, but very few people realize that a computer processor and software are involved in the preparation of their lunch or dinner.
The design of an embedded system to perform a dedicated function is in direct contrast to that of the personal computer. It too is comprised of computer hardware and software ...
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I'm always learning. So when I got on to O'Reilly, I was like a kid in a candy store. There are playlists. There are answers. There's on-demand training. It's worth its weight in gold, in terms of what it allows me to do.