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10-Dec-21 0:58

I stumbled upon this in my travels today Laugh | :laugh:

C++

#ifdef TARGET_CPU_PPC
   return __lhbrx(ram, address);
#else  /* !TARGET_CPU_PPC */
   uint32 x = (uint32) * (uint16 *)(ram + address);
   return (x << 8) | (x >> 8);
#endif /* !TARGET_CPU_PPC */

That's one way to date your code. Who still uses power pcs?

This code is 20 years old at least.

Edit: Upon reflection I think this belongs in Weird and Wonderful.

Real programmers use butterflies

den2k8810-Dec-21 1:35

den2k88

10-Dec-21 1:35

honey the codewitch wrote:
Who still uses power pcs

NASA, apparently. Their approved space hardened computer is a PPC with a whopping 256 MB of RAM.

Space hardening is difficult.

EDIT: here's a 2 minute video with the short explanation Why is NASA's New Perseverance Rover Using a 23 Years Old Chipset From The iMac G3? [ PowerPC 750 ] - YouTube[^]

GCS d--(d-) s-/++ a C++++ U+++ P- L+@ E-- W++ N+ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t+ 5? X R+++ tv-- b+(+++) DI+++ D++ G e++ h--- r+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X

honey the codewitch10-Dec-21 2:10

10-Dec-21 2:10

I totally understand why they would do it. For awhile the shuttles were running machines with 256kB of RAM, I forget what architecture.

That's not code you want to revisit. That's code that goes through mountains of approval, documentation, testing. It's elephanting expensive to develop, and quite difficult to do correctly.

I haven't watched the video, but I run into a smaller version of the same problem with medical/clinical software.

Real programmers use butterflies

PIEBALDconsult10-Dec-21 2:28

PIEBALDconsult

10-Dec-21 2:28

I don't think I want to see any ifdefs in such software.

den2k8810-Dec-21 3:44

den2k88

10-Dec-21 3:44

How do you stub missing/incomplete physical components for developing without ifdefs?

GCS d--(d-) s-/++ a C++++ U+++ P- L+@ E-- W++ N+ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t+ 5? X R+++ tv-- b+(+++) DI+++ D++ G e++ h--- r+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X

PIEBALDconsult10-Dec-21 3:48

PIEBALDconsult

10-Dec-21 3:48

That sounds like a bad idea when dealing with the systems indicated.

den2k8810-Dec-21 4:21

den2k88

10-Dec-21 4:21

It's SOP, it actually allows to build and test the software alongaside the hardware. Otherwise you'd have to wait for all the hardware to be finalized and in production, then start writing the firmware and the software over it... with the potential of discovering integration issues, in that case the hardware must be modified and the software development halted until everything is in production again.

Nope, software starts on its own and everything not yet existing is stubbed. Meanwhile all the development, testing and most importantly validation that can be done without the hardware is done.

GCS d--(d-) s-/++ a C++++ U+++ P- L+@ E-- W++ N+ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t+ 5? X R+++ tv-- b+(+++) DI+++ D++ G e++ h--- r+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X

PIEBALDconsult10-Dec-21 4:26

PIEBALDconsult

10-Dec-21 4:26

Which is fine for the early stages of the development of commercial types of software, but when a rocket is about to be launched, that would not be an ideal situation.

honey the codewitch10-Dec-21 6:26

10-Dec-21 6:26

Me too.

Real programmers use butterflies

Dan Neely10-Dec-21 3:15

Dan Neely

10-Dec-21 3:15

honey the codewitch wrote:
I totally understand why they would do it. For awhile the shuttles were running machines with 256kB of RAM, I forget what architecture.

8086. Sometime in the 2000's they went on an ebay shopping spree for old embedded systems they could harvest spare CPUs from.

Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, weighing all things in the balance of reason?
Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful?
--Zachris Topelius

Nelek10-Dec-21 6:34

Nelek

10-Dec-21 6:34

den2k88 wrote:
here's a 2 minute video with the short explanation Why is NASA's New Perseverance Rover Using a 23 Years Old Chipset From The iMac G3? [ PowerPC 750 ] - YouTube[^]

Just a guess without seeing it...
because they are more reliable than any other current hardware?

M.D.V.

If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
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CPallini10-Dec-21 1:54

CPallini

10-Dec-21 1:54

Dunno, I am rather lucky, working on the cutting edge technology the 8051 core provides.

"In testa che avete, Signor di Ceprano?"
-- Rigoletto

Marc Clifton10-Dec-21 4:34

Marc Clifton

10-Dec-21 4:34

Ah, little endian and big endian processor handling?

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honey the codewitch10-Dec-21 6:25

10-Dec-21 6:25

In this case, yes. Apparently the PowerPC has a specialized instruction for what that routine does.

Real programmers use butterflies

Randor 10-Dec-21 6:45

Randor

10-Dec-21 6:45

Hey,

If you are looking at a game/graphics library I just want to point out that the Xbox 360 uses the PowerPC instruction set. In fact I think Nintendo Wii-U was using it right up until a few years ago. So not really archeology. Smile | :)

Best Wishes,
-David Delaune

honey the codewitch10-Dec-21 8:18

10-Dec-21 8:18

Wow, I did not know that. That's interesting. I love when I can learn stuff. Thanks!

Real programmers use butterflies

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:XBox_One_controller_model_1537_I_Made_This.jpg[^]

Randor 10-Dec-21 8:52

Randor

10-Dec-21 8:52

Heh,

Here's a picture of the controller from back when I worked on the Durango project. I uploaded it to wikipedia. Smile | :)

michaelbarb10-Dec-21 9:53

michaelbarb

10-Dec-21 9:53

You should try APL. It was hot in the 60's and 70's.
APL (programming language) - Wikipedia[^]

So many years of programming I have forgotten more languages than I know.

Sound of the Week

Sander Rossel9-Dec-21 23:44

Sander Rossel

9-Dec-21 23:44

Darren Korb - God of the Dead[^]

A soundtrack this week, of one of the best games of 2020, Hades.
I remember the positive reviews from last year, but I'm a bit late in picking this up because I had doubts as to whether this would be my kind of game.
Then I played it at a cousin's house a few weeks back.
Let's just say it's my kind of game Wink | ;)

Unfortunately, I suck at it... Haven't heard this particular song all that much, as I rarely make it to the final boss Sigh | :sigh:

You basically play the same thing over and over, trying to escape from the underworld, getting a bit stronger each escape attempt, until you finally make it.
Made it out a few times and this song makes the final boss all the more enjoying Big Grin | :-D

The entire soundtrack was composed by Darren Korb and he also composed other Supergiant games, so I'm guessing he's their house composer.
So anyway, I can recommend the game and the entire soundtrack (which features lots of calmer songs as well, this one is actually the most metal song on the OST).
Game of the week, sound of the week! Big Grin | :-D

Best,
Sander

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David O'Neil10-Dec-21 1:40

David O'Neil

10-Dec-21 1:40

Very nice! Here's Obi-Wan Kenobi on the drums: Apparat dans Passengers

-- and a halfway nice mix of a band I usually find somewhat boring: Kraftwerk Megamix. There are some boring parts in it, but better than the past stuff I've heard.

modified 10-Dec-21 20:14pm.

Sander Rossel13-Dec-21 0:52

Sander Rossel

13-Dec-21 0:52

David O'Neil wrote:
Here's Obi-Wan Kenobi on the drums: Apparat dans Passengers

I know Apparat, I think mostly from their work with Modeselektor as Moderat.
Good stuff Thumbs Up | :thumbsup:

David O'Neil wrote:
a band I usually find somewhat boring: Kraftwerk

Agreed there Laugh | :laugh:

Good stuff when you're in the mood for it though.
To sum up about 90% of their music... "Autobahn... bleep bleep..." Poke tongue | ;-P

Best,
Sander

Azure DevOps Succinctly (free eBook)
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David O'Neil13-Dec-21 6:32

David O'Neil

13-Dec-21 6:32

Sander Rossel wrote:
To sum up about 90% of their music... "Autobahn... bleep bleep..."

Exactly!

Kris Lantz10-Dec-21 4:48

Kris Lantz

10-Dec-21 4:48

The game is a masterpiece, and the soundtrack is great too!