Just over a year ago (May 7 2006) I launched a web page comparing SPLat programming with other controller languages. At the same time I issued an open challenge to any competitors. So far no competitor has come forward. Here's the challenge:
Competitors: Will you accept our challenge?
To any competitor prepared to submit a sample program in their language:
We will post your sample and notes in the above comparison and provide a link to your website.
Conditions:
- Your program must do exactly the same as our program above, and may contain only the same 3 comments.
- We must know the size of the object code, over and above any base operating environment (i.e. the size of the final code less the size of a null program).
- We will provide a link to any page on your website providing the website in our opinion contains no disparaging comments about our product or this offer. The link will open in a new window.
- You must provide a reciprocal link to a nominated page on our website.
- Your controller, without added I/O modules, must be able to directly interface to industrial NPN and PNP sensors and drive loads at 24V DC or AC at at least 250mA.
- Your product must be available as a choice of standard (off the shelf) product or custom designs. Standard product must include built in operator interface options. Customization options must be available for quantities as low as 15 pieces. You must offer fully customized designs for quantities down to 300 per year with an NRE cost of typically less that $15K for a straight forward design.
- We will reproduce your program as gif file (for graphic languages only) or as text. If you submit a gif we will not edit it. If you submit a text source we will convert it to the same font as the other examples. You are advised to convert tabs to spaces and keep the listing width so it will fit without horizontal scrolling.
Why do you suppose nobody has responded?

Comments (1)
C'mon David. You know that it's tough to beat Splatware. Easiest to use. Compact too.
Posted by Fred Pacilli | May 16, 2007 9:04 AM
Posted on May 16, 2007 09:04