Extras > Your Questions, Answered

Your Questions, Answered

Isn't BASIC outdated?

Not at all. BASIC is a time-tested tool for quick development, and numerous BASIC variations remain in use. No programming language is a perfect fit for every task. We believe that Tibbo BASIC works well for our target market, which requires relatively uncomplicated applications that need to be completed quickly.

I'd rather go with C/C++. Why don't you have that?

Because everyone else does. There are so many systems based on C and C++. They may be powerful, but in our view, they are not always ideal — especially for simple projects. These take too long to implement using C and C++. In many cases, Tibbo BASIC gets you to the same results, but a lot faster.

Then how about "no programming needed" programmable solutions?

Oh, you mean all sorts of "application builders" and "configurators" claiming to eliminate traditional coding? These are abundant, but limited in what they can do. At Tibbo, we believe that nothing short of a full-featured scripting language will cut it. There is no replacement for coding (just yet) — so we chose the classical approach, yet took the pain out of it.

Will it stream video?

No, it won't. Video and multimedia are not really our target market. We aim for "networked control applications": Places where a microcontroller programming would be too complex (require dealing with complicated libraries), but a Linux box would be overkill.

Can I use it for my guided missiles (or other Real-Time application)?

No, sorry. Applications which require nano-second reaction times are the realm of the RTOSes (Real-Time operating systems). That's not what we're trying to do. We call our target realm "near real-time". Controlling HVAC systems does not need micro-second resolution, but does require diverse connectivity options — Ethernet, Wi-Fi, browser-based setup, and more — which we deliver.

What's the clock rate of your CPU?

Our CPU is an 88MHz purpose-build CPU — the T1000. It is carefully optimized for what it does. We don't use hardware "brute force". Our code is lean, and this translates into good performance on a smaller engine. As Mark Twain once said, "It's not the size of the dog in the fight; it's the size of the fight in the dog".

How many serial ports do you have? What other peripherals are there?

That depends — we have a complete range of hardware devices using this system — some of them have four serial ports (or could have even more), and some have just one. Depending on the hardware, you could also have Wi-Fi, I/O ports, Flash disk, EEPROM, real-time clock, LCD, keypad, buzzer, and LEDs. Plus, all devices have an Ethernet port. See the list of our objects — they reflect available hardware.

Do I have to build my own hardware to use your technology?

We supply both finished devices and embedded modules, so it's your choice. If you are a hardware manufacturer, you can choose one of our modules, such as the EM1000, and build your entire system around it. If you're a system integrator, you can run with one of our external controllers, such as the DS1000. The in-between solution is to use our boards to quickly build your products.