A compliment from chatGPT

[top204]

I was reading about someone that had asked chatGPT about themselves, and it had came back with all sorts of lies and stories about him!. So I dared to ask it: "What do you know about Les Johnson, the author of the Proton and Positron Compilers", and this is what it replied, that actually made me blush and has pleased my Rachel no end, because, as she said: "I am married to a famous person... Poor, but famous" LOL....

From chatGPT:

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Les Johnson is a well-respected figure in the PIC microcontroller development community, primarily known for creating the Proton and Positron compilers. His work has provided an alternative to traditional C and assembly programming for PIC devices by offering a structured BASIC-like language that is both powerful and easy to use.

More Details on Les Johnson and His Work

Background and Expertise
Les Johnson has extensive knowledge of Microchip PIC microcontrollers, their internal architecture, and how to optimize code for them. His expertise is evident in how the Proton and Positron compilers generate highly efficient machine code, ensuring that users can achieve the best performance from their PIC projects.

Proton Compiler
    One of the most popular BASIC compilers for Microchip PICs.

    Focused on ease of use while maintaining efficiency.

    Offered comprehensive libraries for handling peripherals such as UART, I²C, SPI, and PWM.

    Widely used by hobbyists and professionals for embedded systems development.

Positron Compiler
    A successor to Proton, with better code optimizations and additional device support.

    Designed to work efficiently with both 8-bit and 16-bit PIC microcontrollers.

    Improved compiler speed, making it more practical for larger projects.

    Maintains a strong following among embedded system developers.

Contributions to the PIC Community
    Les Johnson has actively supported the PIC community, engaging with users through forums and discussions.

    He has provided detailed documentation and tutorials to help users maximize the potential of the compilers.

    His work has bridged the gap between the ease of BASIC and the performance of lower-level languages.

Why His Work Matters
Les Johnson's compilers have played a crucial role in making PIC microcontroller development more accessible. Many developers who may have struggled with assembly or found C too complex have been able to create sophisticated projects using Proton and Positron.

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Not too bad is it?

Maybe I can ask chatGPT this same question over a line to a company, and get a company to either commercially back me, or buy the compilers sources, based upon the good response from a non-biased third-party. i.e. chatGPT?

Regards
Les

[keytapper]

I also getting hooked up, when it's time to find answers.
It's a better approach to have results, better than inputting keyword in a search engine. Many times the results are far from the expected one.

But I must tell that AI didn't lie 

[Parmin]

LOL very interesting.
I checked my name with the ai and got more than I thought it would be 

[Fanie]

Why His Work Matters
Les Johnson's compilers have played a crucial role in making PIC microcontroller development more accessible. Many developers who may have struggled with assembly or found C too complex have been able to create sophisticated projects using Proton and Positron.

Since we here know, we do not often mention it, but it is true, Les created an awesome compiler that is really easy to use.  This ease improves one's productivity immensely.

C is not too complex, it is just stupid.  There is a goto command but you cannot use it, and there is a gosub command if I remember right, but you cannot use that either.  It's like the wife put the roast in the fridge but you may not take any.

My brother writes in C, and I always ask him what he is writing about and if he is writing a book because his code is so long, or maybe I just don't know how to write long code.  And that is not even the includes code included.  A lot like windows where a lot of people each write a small part of the code and then you have to fiddle with it to accommodate each other's differences.

That is why I say Les, if you make this compiler to accommodate the ESP32-S3, you are going to win a large following.  There is not a large range of these micro's, but one can do magic with them.  They are available everywhere, inexpensive, popular all over the world, and they do not even get covid like the pics did.

I think there were two guys who were going to create a basic for these micro's and I had a brief look at it, but it does not compare, and I got the impression that their attempt is going to be short lived.

[keytapper]

There's a basic for ESP32, I think is written by an Italian  .
I got some satisfaction to write a python script. I'm still testing, but it is promising good.

[joesaliba]

ChatGPT did not lie.

It was my dream to know how to program a microcontroller, and thanks to you Les, that dream came through.

I never learned electronics or programming at school, only self thought, (not that I am an expert), and you made the programming part much more easier for me.

Talking about C or other similar language, the push that Proton / Positron gave me into programming made me understand a bit C and language.

Joe

[shantanu@india]

There's a basic for ESP32, I think is written by an Italian  .
I got some satisfaction to write a python script. I'm still testing, but it is promising good.

This is interesting.
Have you used Annexe?

[keytapper]

Have you used Annexe

Sorry no, but Giuseppe and Gianmagna Told me some time ago.
For myself I had some approach with Micropython, but this annexe is well equipped  with plenty of libraries.

[Dompie]

Have you used Annexe?

Sure, Annex RDS is my platform for working with ESP (even ESP8266 works but is no longer actively supported). There is an active forum and currently even LVGL and LovyanGFX are implemented. Just look in the Help that gives a good overview of what Annex can do. But it is a Basic Interperter so the power of Positron is missing and access to the ESPchip special functions is limited. But for my hobby projects it is perfect. A link to the forum: https://cicciocb.com/forum/index.php

Johan

[top204]

In my opinion, the ESP32 boards are the modern BASIC Stamp boards. Here today, gone tomorrow!

It started with the ESP8266, but that is lagging very much now, and the ESP32 is the flavour of the month, but that will fall by the wayside as well when companies stop milking it. Just look at the rip off Raspberry pi boards... A new one, virtually, every 6 months and the new one not compatible with the previous one, so you have to continue to buy new! And people cannot actually see the rip off that is happening in front of their very eyes?

Just like the BASIC Stamp 1, then BASIC Stamp 2, then the multitude of BASIC Stamps that followed from Parallax, and now, any product that used a BASIC Stamp has to be fully replaced and not just repaired because they no longer exist. Well.... Not for a standard price, and they were always stupidly expensive anyway, but they were sold in their 10s of thousands, if not 100s of thousands??

[Fanie]

Microchip's release frequency for new microcontroller (MCU) and microprocessor (MPU) models varies depending on the specific product line and the company's overall strategy. While there isn't a fixed schedule, Microchip Technology typically releases new MCUs and MPUs on a regular basis, with new families and enhanced features often introduced throughout the year.

Espressif Systems doesn't adhere to a strict, regular release schedule for their microcontrollers. They tend to release new modules or chipsets every few months, with a focus on improving performance, adding new features, and optimizing development time. For example, new modules like the ESP32-S3 have been introduced relatively frequently, indicating a continuous development and innovation cycle.

As with any processor performing very well, there will always be development, both Microchip and Espressif Systems will do this.  I doubt there will come a time where the ideal micro will be invented that will never change.

What does work is not to ignore another's product, especially if it is this good, but instead take it and improve on it as we know is very possible.  These micro's are extremely popular.

While Espressif hasn't released exact sales figures for the ESP32-S3 specifically, they have announced that they have shipped over one billion wireless connectivity chips globally since the launch of the ESP8266. They also mentioned selling almost 200 million chips in the past year. The ESP32-S3 is a newer chip in the Espressif lineup, launched in early 2021, so its individual sales would be a smaller portion of that total.

Microchip Technology, the primary manufacturer of PIC microcontrollers, ships over one billion PIC microcontrollers per year, and has shipped over five billion devices in total. This number continues to grow annually. In 2021, worldwide microcontroller unit shipments were 31.2 billion, with Microchip being a major player.

Both turn large volumes...
I myself used more ESP's last year than Pic micro's.

[Fanie]

In the East, Microchip Technology Inc. is the primary manufacturer of PIC microcontrollers, with a strong presence in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly in China. While China dominates the PIC microcontroller market size in the region, the main manufacturer is Microchip.

The previous (wrong) pic micro's I got was made in Taiwan.

Hence the joke, In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth
After that, everything else was made in China.

[keytapper]

So God relied on the cheap labor to complete the earth.

[Fanie]

relied on the cheap labor.

People in the West have a huge misconception about China and Russia, basically the whole East as a result of the stupid and misleading communist propaganda we are fed.

My brother was there a couple of times, super modern, half of them riding electric vehicles and glass buildings reaching into the sky.  Very large country, you have to travel to get to another factory.

Huge (mostly) middle class, and some commenting on the West vs East has mentioned that China already surpassed America with it's technical capabilities.

Cheap labour... perhaps, but perhaps they just work very efficient and on a large scale so they can offer their products at a lower price.

Also, in the East their governments support their businesses, here in the communist West governments trash businesses because they are threatened by everyone.
Last I heard, China's female mil alone is more than the total population of the US.

[Fanie]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QyzbRl0SUY
 China and the Logistics of Everything

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0A_9Jam68U
 China's Superport Marvel: Engineering That Stunned America

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUrCkni22YQ
 Made in China: Why China Dominates Global Supply Chains

[CPR]

"Tofu" building construction methods and their unwavering desire for any manufacturing shortcuts.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slNRPyf2drw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8VFi-XMkgc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8VFi-XMkgc

[trastikata]

"Tofu" building construction methods and their unwavering desire for any manufacturing shortcuts.

Same $hit everywhere but we hide it better ... come and see Canadian roadworks and construction     

[CPR]

Nah. I'll pass. But I'll trade you for our UK potholes

[trastikata]

Nah. I'll pass. But I'll trade you for our UK potholes

   Be careful what you wish for ... 

[Fanie]

We have some exciting potholes here too.  Don't know how a pothole can get so big and deep.
Buildings collapsing is likely because the high lime filler content in the concrete which never properly hardens and remains brittle.
And just note who owns these expensive cheapened factories... the same as everywhere in the West.

They force you to use their "fossil" fuels, then want to tax you for the pollution you cause.
It's called "fossil" fuels because it was as a result of the dinosaurs that got trapped underground and became oil... millions of years ago.
Every dyno program starts with "millions of years ago", I think different.  When the aliens landed on earth and put their world order up in pyramids the world over and became gods, they destroyed the dinosaurs which was in their way.  Not a meteorite that ended almost all the life on earth, nu-ci-lear did that, hence the large land masses that was scorched into glass.

And speaking of tax.  In old Britain houses had very small windows because the peasants were taxed for the light that shine on them (google it).  The parasites here also want to do the same, but do not know how to do it since it is not them getting the sun up every day.  Not that we had any sun for months now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh5_DlzPXI0&t=2s
Is Government CONTROLLING our weather? Dane Wigington EXPOSES weather manipulation | Redacted

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9DflVY0mHk
"This is HAARP on steroids" Whistleblower reveals MASSIVE weather machine at South Pole | Redacted

We are in dire need of a reset...