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cwilt Senior Member Joined: 20/03/2012 Location: United StatesPosts: 147
Posted: 05:50am 11 Feb 2013
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Comparing PIC and MMbasic is not apples to apples. With MMbasic there is a layer of software that is out of the average persons control. As much as I enjoy using MMbasic it is not without its quirks. It is in a few personal projects running in my home. Those are now very stable.
Would I trust MMbasic in a commercial product? Yes, but I would test it to extremes before release. Its always the simple things that get you.
JohnS Guru Joined: 18/11/2011 Location: United KingdomPosts: 3802
Posted: 07:55am 11 Feb 2013
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If I used a WDT it would be to catch any problems, whether the uC hanging or MMBasic or whatever.
I don't at all mean to imply MMBasic is unreliable.
John
Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9307
Posted: 12:51pm 11 Feb 2013
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The same thing applies to the PICAXE - it has a BASIC interpreter on-chip, so it provides a similar situation to MMBASIC in that respect. I have never had any problem with PICAXE giving me issues with a closed-source software layer.
I fully agree with you on the testing.
This is something that some people do NOT do - once it is working on the bench, they push it into service, which IMO is a BAD idea. You need to run the thing 24/7 for a few days under test, to see if anything unexpected happens - such as a crash for some reason. Much better to find that out on the bench, then to have a call from the customer that the unit has stopped. That's my 2c anyway, and I always have a testing phase on any of my creations, to see if they do anything unexpected. Provided nothing does happen, you feel more confident in your product then too.
All this is not to say that once you install it on-site, something else won't crop up specific to the site - that is just life, unfortunately, but 95% of the time...Edited by Grogster 2013-02-12Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops!
cwilt Senior Member Joined: 20/03/2012 Location: United StatesPosts: 147
Posted: 02:07pm 11 Feb 2013
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I tested my last one for a month. Periodically disconnecting external connections including the power. Sometimes I would build up a static charge and zap the case and connections. Anything that could cause a problem I tried to make it happen. If it failed to recover then I made changes so that it would. In the end it survived everything I could throw at it and recover if needed.
Can something else happen? Sure. Nothing is 100%.
Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9307
Posted: 02:19pm 11 Feb 2013
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You're right there.
All we can do, is the best we can do.
Then if things crop up on-site and in service, at least we can say that the product was fully tested before installation - all helps to home in on where any on-site problem actually is.
We are all Human afterall.
Apologies to our alien members here.Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops!
Notice. New forum software under development. It's going to miss a few functions and look a bit ugly for a while, but I'm working on it full time now as the old forum was too unstable. Couple days, all good. If you notice any issues, please contact me.
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