288: You Got a Screen!

Embedded.fm · 10 May 2019 · 1h 03m · Episode 288

What this episode covers

Elecia White and Christopher White discuss the disconnect between academic embedded systems education and industry reality, noting that schools often fail to teach practical tools like version control, debugging, and cross-compilation. They argue that while broad theoretical knowledge is valuable, students need exposure to real-world workflows, such as using STM32 Nucleo boards and J-Tag debuggers, to bridge the gap. The hosts then provide a comprehensive guide to professional documentation, emphasizing that self-documenting code is a myth and detailing specific artifacts like product docs, schematics with block diagrams, software specs, and user manuals. They highlight tools like Balsamiq for UI wireframing and emphasize the importance of clear, future-proof documentation to aid maintenance and collaboration.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

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  • The Amp Hour · 1h 18m

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    Chris Gammell, founder of Contextual Electronics, explains his transition from hardware consulting to learning embedded firmware to stabilize his income. He details his personal project involving an STM32F030 and a 433MHz transmitter, highlighting the steep learning curve of moving from Arduino to bare-metal C development. Gammell and guests Elecia White and Dave Jones discuss the importance of hiring tutors, using build logs for debugging, and the specific frustrations of dealing with obscure Chinese components and complex microcontroller peripherals like SPI displays and I2S audio.

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