From time to time, general questions about microcontrollers and
    embedded processors (from beginners to experienced designers) pop up
    in the newsgroups.  It seemed that a general primer/FAQ might be
    useful.

    Much of this document could be considered as a sort of a primer on
    microcontrollers, with some material on embedded processors being
    slowly added.  For those of you with previous experience, sections 9
    and 10 might be of special interest (especially for those of you
    looking for that elusive "free COBOL compiler for the 1802").

    I please ask that if you have any suggestions or additions, or you
    would like to correct any of the information contained herein, please
    send me a note.
         My Email address is: russ@silicom.co.il
         My Smail address is:
               Russ Hersch
               HaVradim 11
               Ginot Shomron
               ISRAEL

    Thanks to recent contributors to this document:
          Jack Quinn (Micrologic Research)
          Integrated Circuit Engineering Corporation
          Marc Petremann
          Dave Baldwin (The Computer Journal)
          Jim Thompson
          Daniel Ginensky (Telrad Telecommunications, Israel)
          Yigal Hochberg (DMH Software)
          Christer Johansson (High Tech Horizon)
          Jeff Yeastedt


    Very special thanks to Robin L. Getz (National Semiconductor) who
    probably could be considered an honorary co-author of this FAQ. :-)

    Also, thanks to those who have posted questions and to those who have
    posted answers.  Thanks to "my new friends" who send suggestions and
    encouragement, as well as the occasional question.  Special thanks to
    my mother-in-law, who thankfully will probably never read this
    document ;-).

    This FAQ will be posted to the following newsgroups:
          comp.arch.embedded
          comp.robotics
          comp.sys.intel
          sci.electronics
          alt.hardware.homebuilt
          comp.answers
          sci.answers
          alt.answers
          news.answers

    I will post once a month - on or about the 26th of each month.

    I am putting no restrictions on the use of this FAQ except - It must
    be distributed in its entirety with the copyright notice, and no
    financial gain may be realized from it.  After all, I have spent, and
    continue to spend, a lot of time on this.

    For this reason I have appended a copyright statement to the end of
    this FAQ.  I feel pretty silly doing this, but I just want to protect
    myself.  The copyright does not limit the use of this list for
    noncommercial purposes.  I hereby give my permission to one and all
    to pass this list around and post it wherever you want - as long as
    it is not for financial gain.

        Thank you.