--NoDr - YGO--

Ubuntu on my new Laptop - ACER 1650

I have just leave my Linux Mandriva to try la latest UBUNTU and I like it a lot. Very easy to install and update with APT-GET, it is a very good distribution powered with plenty of help on wiki site.

Factor and robots ?

I am not very active on Factor but I read on it’s evolution each day .
I still convinced that Factor may offer a lot on many area and more especially on a very interesting domain : ROBOTICS .

I am in the process of thinking to buy an embed Linux board FOX. Note really the fastest one, but with an cheaper price. If I do that, complicated things will arise because I will have to port Factor C and assembly part on it. Fortunatly the full Linux SDK is provided.

I am more and more convinced that Erlang concepts put on Factor ( partially done by Doublec may tranform Factor in a sucessfull language for robotic. I am also convinced that only very dynamics (intropospectifs / intercessifs) are essentials needs for this domain
Modern processor are fast but needs too important cooler system to be usable on this domain. So less fast processeurs with heavy distibution and concurrency may be the good answer

Now why Factor instead Erlang or Java.
Java is a too static language with a too unstable and not scalable jvm. More of that Java is a pig RAM eater in front of few memory ressources provider by embed board.
Erlang can be a good choice. Very stable, very scalable, heavily concurrent and distributed but a semi dynamic language and the compiler and Hipe seem very complex to hack. Also I am not sure 16Mo RAM enougth for Erlang core.
Factor is very easy to learn and very dynamic and things can be updated or added and compiled while running. Factor image is little and consume few memory. Factor is very pliant and the compiler and assembler seem more easy to adapt for a new processor. Concurrency and distribution seem not too complex to add. To conclude Factor seem very suitable for robotic needs

If a go futher on this way (according the coast of board and my free time not become a too heavy constraint) then next step will be the connection of my PIC 16F877 with the embed board.

Jot that another way is to use gumstix etherstix pack . The problem, for France is the coast for VAT and transportation give a very higth final price.

as usual you can send me a comment at : nodrygo () free.fr