I just read Jack's editorial on Embedded.com on the RS08 processor. This is a fun little processor.

We did some work on the instruction set design on this processor, and wrote a C compiler for the RS08. This is a remarkable little processor that, in the end, outperformed many people's expectations (including mine).

Jack Ganssle's latest column in embedded.com reminds us that there is still life in 8-bit architectures.

He mentions the Freescale RS08, which is supported by our C6808 Code Development System.

UPDATE: Jack cites an article on Circuit Cellar by Tom Cantrell, who also talks about RS08.

C6808 can work with both the HIWAVE (CodeWarrior) emulator and P&E's emulator software.

C6808 installs a tutorial help (.CHM) file that describes how to:

• Configure HIWAVE as a BCLIDE tool.
• Call P&E's PROG and ICD from BCLIDE.
• Call C6808 from P&E's WinIDE

We've updated our popular evaluation version of C6808. It features the same optimization and code generation as the full version, subject only to the same minor limits as before: maximum 4K program bytes (HC(S)08) and 512 program bytes (RS08).

Pick it up at the Depot

RS08 support is now shipping in C6808. Contact sales@bytecraft.com for more information or to place an order.

Yes.

C6808 creates a stack through program code: it preserves the Shadow PC (SPC) in a local variable and restores it prior to returning.
As an optimization, it eliminates this code whenever possible. When a function calls no subordinate functions, or when the call to a subordinate function happens at specific points in program flow, the compiler eliminates the saved PC and the memory location it would require.

This approach uses no extra memory compared to a hardware stack.

There's no reason not to use C to program even the smallest computers. C compilers improve on assemblers by:

• Allowing the developer to work in the problem space (choosing the symbolic operations), not the solution space (choosing the machine instructions).
• Calculating opportunities for optimization with both the algorithm and target hardware in mind.

Yes. If you have written your program according to our recommended practices in the product documentation, upgrading should be seamless. All Byte Craft Limited Code Development Systems have backward compatibility with previous language constructs.

Please note:

• Improvements in the compiler can alter the generated code; this may impact your testing.
• Device header files may change between versions. If you've written customized device header files, they may require some revision. Simply examine the stock headers that we ship with the product.

See Distributors for an updated list of distributors.