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Title:
Embedded Systems Dictionary
Author:
Jack Ganssle and Michael Barr
ISBN:
1-57820-120-9
Publisher:
CMP Books
Pages:
286pp
Price:
£25-99
Reviewer:
Francis Glassborow
Subject:
embedded systems
Appeared in:
15-5
Note that this is a dictionary, and that is exactly what it is. It
covers words, phrases and acronyms that might be met in the context of
embedded systems, defining them in that context or related ones. For
example looking up 'yield' we find:yield 1. v. To offer use of the CPU to another task that is
ready to run.2. n. The percentage of good die on a wafer. IC vendors test
each die, with the sure knowledge that some percentage of them will not
pass. Mature manufacturing processes with smaller chips give high yields;
very dense parts or those made with new processes could result in yields
less than 50%.
As far as I can see the book gives a very good coverage of the area
with good definitions. The pronunciations are, of course, American but
I can live with that. I can envisage this book being exactly what the
newcomer to embedded systems needs to avoid irritating his/her colleagues
with requests for explanations. When a team leader tells you that you
need some JK flip-flops it is probably not a good career move to ask
which clothing shop stocks that brand.
The real expert will have little use for this book, but I would
recommend it to others that have to talk with such experts. Like all
dictionaries it will spend much time sitting on your shelf but it is
comforting to have it there to grab when you need an explanation of some
piece of 'jargon'.