Re: XMOS XC-1 kits are ****pping

Bob wrote about XMOS:
> They seem far too fixated on doing everything in software, things like
> ethernet where there is no point shoveling bytes in software if
> hardware can take care of it.

Leon wrote:
> They are supplying free libraries for all the usual peripheral
> functions. Doing stuff like that in software is much cheaper than
> using hardware, and easier in many ways.

Been there, done that, and it's not cheaper or easier when you
consider the overall system cost impact, not just the "benefit" of
leaving out the hardware block.  That was the path Scenix/Ubicom went
down, calling it "virtual peripherals", and it was not very
successful.  Ubicom has since added hardware for Ethernet, USB,
etc. to their most recent parts.  The reality is that a hardware
Ethernet MAC costs less than the total system cost impact of the
software alternative.

Eric