Gold wrote: ↑Tue Feb 19, 2019 10:16 am
I don’t think Igor was the one who wrote that code. I vaguely remember him saying a friend did that.
My guess is he got a classified type job and had to disappear.
It's a nice story. Hope its true.
I also heard a story about him becoming ill and having to DIY-improve an infusion pump which then got bought out by the manufacturer.
It's kind of like Bruno in "Return of Bruno."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6hJn272wIM
The above is a must-watch...
If one of Igor's PICs gets popped in a lightning strike its over. Product bricked.
For someone like Bob, on Florida power, Compass Point, or me on the top of a hill its very real.
I just don't like the idea of putting PIC processors in the mastering chain for simple control functions if they can be done with discrete logic or diode/relay coil logic.
To wit: I'm thinking about doing a simple 4 or 6 input Input Selector similar to the MTC that would be ahead of the MTC-IGFO board. I could use a couple of CMOS latches - one 14 pin package for two switches - so maybe three plus a gate. Or I could use a simple PIC. The code would be a no-brainer. (It will have a very interesting secondary function I haven't seen in an MTC.)
In 20-30 years, when I'm pushing up daisies, which is going to be easier for the tech to repair?
Tracking down a programmed PIC or finding the binary or source code or a flash-programmer for it might be very difficult. Someone would have to be hired to re-code it. Now the CMOS ICs might also be discontinued in 20-30 years but will still be common. Like 12AX7s.
As someone who has been involved in just about every technical facet of recording, radio, TV and performance - who also has to repair this stuff - I haven't exactly led a sheltered life when it comes to maintainability.
For the above reason, any PIC project which doesn't provide source code or binaries gets gonged.
Or at least considered for "gonging."