I good introduction! I will certainly take a closer look at the propeller. I want to check it it will fit my needs

While this article is quite positive there are some inaccuracies in it but that is and will continue to be the fate of any hardware that lives outside the box. What should be pointed out is that the Propeller is as complex or as simple as the user needs. I've not programmed(a Z80 CPU) since the late 80s but I do remember many of the principles involved. Add that to an understanding of OOP(Object Oriented Programming) and programming the Propeller becomes less difficult. But adjusting from the current programming styles or languages will cause problems because of the missing tools, interupts and dedicated hardware. There is a major advantage in not having specific limitations place on the creativity of the programmer. As with any new product and especially with one that challenges the current state of afairs, time will tell if its going to succeed.

As stated I've not programmed for more than 20 years but the possibilities I came up with provoked me to buying a Propeller. At the moment I'm learning the other bits I need to know to use it and am happily being frustrated by the slow delivery or lack of stock of the other(non Propeller) bits I need.

I won't say this is for everyone but it does allow for imaginitive and low cost experimentation. Have fun. Frans...

Well put SU, that's the way the article should have been written!

While the write-up was useful, it is in fact misleading and actually wrong in a few but KEY areas. Spin files containing a basic like language can be an object in upper level programs. The limit here is system ram, not the number of cogs. Any propeller application can be any of the following combinations: A Spin file up to 32K in size, Quite a few Spin files totaling up to 32K. A spin file may contain Spin basic and or Assembly code, which can be launched into a cog (required for assembly code), or run from the current cog, or launched into it's own cog to run currently with the existing application. If the need for ram exists within the application, it can be added and addressed with a very nominal amount of hardware. Knowing the 512 32bit word limit of each cog is needed, and can't be overcome when working with assembly code. However the core developers at Parallax and private other parties have methods of overlaying code on the fly at runtime from other hardware. Thus, the 32K limit of ram is only for a 'stock' application, and is really limited by the application. Needing white space as a syntactical requirement is a throw back, but it leads to improved readability, and a very powerful command set. The PDT was designed at the same time as the hardware. This provides for an extremely tight correlation between user code and the byte code that is actually executed by the Spin interpreter. Cogs can wait for variables, pin conditions or time constraints for stopping, starting their operations. Multiplexing 32 I/O pins between cogs MAY lead to unintended results, but, even under the most unusual conditions, no developer would commit to sharing I/O pins between hardware tasks. Debugging is nearly nonexistent, however tools do exist to overcome this limitation. Out of the box, the Propeller will handle most applications. Lastly, the entire propeller system was developed for the beginning and experienced user alike. 7th graders are programming in the spin language, working with its hardware and designing the next class of affordable (and fast) multiprocessor robots. It will take someone who can take the idea of interrupt processing and convert it into concurrent processing to move this new chip foward. Developers who grasp the idea of managing several tasks currently, in a timely manor, will have the ability to develop hardware and software that can only be approached with much more money. The current Propeller operates at a published 80Mhz, with private tests exceeding sustained 110Mhz. That’s eight processors running at 100Mhz, in one chip, at less then 1/8 of the opening price of a Pentium, and out performing it. On board counters, frequency generation, modulated AM, FM and TV, VGA, component outputs with nominal hardware, simple and Sigma Delta DACs, again with nominal hardware, PS2 mouse, keyboard input, and simulated output. All of these features, out of the box at $25.00, with less then an additional $50.00 in support hardware, this little micro carves a place for many applications in many places. Thanks for reading; SU.

author raises a good point about Parallax' need for debugging hooks and hardware level tools. They should study other examples (Freescale iMX31, for example) and cram a bit more into the next spin (sorry, couldn't resist!) of the chip.