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A Comprehensive Look at ColdFire
by George Martin

Start ý The Opening Act ý The Second Act ý The Final Act ý Curtain Call ý Sources and PDF

With the introduction of the personal computer and its overwhelming success (after IBM placed its stamp of approval in the form of the IBM PC), engineers, including myself, who design embedded systems have enjoyed a tremendous boost in job productivity. Weýve moved away from the development systems built by manufacturers (Intelýs Blue Box and Motorolaýs Exormax), where we lived in the wake of whatever the PC system designers had in mind. From the early ý80s up to the current multimedia additions, our jobs were made easier by all the PC had to offer. You might even include multimedia on the job-enhancing side of the ledger, but I see that as the end to a free ride.

Next, came the Internet. Remember all those component catalogues? They disappeared almost overnight. And, you no longer need to deal with a salesperson to get technical information (apologies to all my friends in sales). But, the PC and Internet combination is changing our jobs once again. There is a new model on product sales, service, and support. That model will become the standard. One form of that model is what Iýd like to talk about.

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