ME Labs getting Lazy?

[Charles Linquis]

Just my 2 cents -

I think PBP is an incredible bargain. Most compilers cost in the $300 range, and then they
want that same amount each year or so for "upgrades". The fact that MELabs charges so little for upgrades has contributed to their wide user base.
Still, I would like the addition of true procedures and functions, and better string handling, as well as hardware I2C (HI2CIN/HI2COUT ?). A few other items would be nice as well.
I would be prepared to pay a lot for those features, since learning a new compiler at this time would cost me thousands in time and lost productivity.
Is there anyone else out there willing to pay a thousand dollars (or more) for a significant upgrade to PBP?

[krohtech]

Is there anyone else out there willing to pay a thousand dollars (or more) for a significant upgrade to PBP?

I don't know about a thousand dollars but I would pay more for upgrades or high end spinoffs. I think that if MELabs decides to break the platform into 3 products like Standard, Pro and Premium, I would pay considerably more for the premium features knowing that this additional money would help MELabs expand the platform.

That being said I want to reiterate that I believe we are getting a good product for the current price.

[rwskinner]

I was aggrevated and I should know better than to post when I'm aggrevated. ME Labs has always had excellent support and I've had them email me bug fixes same day for bugs I found.

I was a little put off with all the errors I was getting on the 18F devices but after searching, and spending a little time reading this forum I got thru it just fine. It's a great product but yes, it can be better. Is it a good value for the price, well maybe. There are numerous other compilers out there, some reasonably priced and some priced pretty high.

What I miss, when comparing PBP to the others, is the lack of built in Floating point routines, and parameters found in true functions and procedures. It just makes the code so much easier to follow and work with.

Will I keep using PBP, yes, but I do find I'm using it less and less. I guess it has a good fit for it's purpose.

At any rate, sorry for the rant, I should know better by now.

Richard

[paul borgmeier]

I've had them email me bug fixes same day for bugs I found.

WIKI - A software bug (or just "bug") is an error, flaw, mistake, failure, or fault in a computer program that prevents it from behaving as intended (e.g., producing an incorrect result)

Wow! – I have used PBP for about 10 years and have never come across an undocumented bug. In fact, I find MELAB's product to be pretty much rock-solid; 10F through 18F.

It sounds like you have found several bugs. How about posting the details of these bugs you have uncovered so we can avoid finding them as well.

[Charles Linquis]

As I stated, I would be willing to pay a decent amount of money for
additional features. Perhaps if enough of us got together we could
come up with cash to get MELab's attention. The money would
at least partially pay for the release of a PBP Premium version.
My guess is that 20 or 25 "investors" would be more than enough.

My "wish list" would include

Procedures and Functions
String handling (Left$, Right$, Mid$, Len)
Floating point
Hardware I2C support
Possible upgrade path to bigger devices (dsPIC, 24F, 30F)

Is there anyone else out there that would be willing to invest
$1000 or more for this effort, or am I just wishful-thinking?

[skimask]

Is there anyone else out there that would be willing to invest $1000 or more for this effort, or am I just wishful-thinking?

$1000 might be a bit much for the home hobby type...but I'd surely go for a 'higher' version and pay for it.

[Melanie]

I'd add my $1000 to yours Charles.

Not that I actually want anything in particular - I managed to develop routines to get PBP to do everything I ever wanted - and in the process earned a shed-load money from it. Don't actually use it myself anymore, but it's still there, being updated periodically and now others in the Company are using it for product development - so perhaps for their benefit. Like I said at the beginning of this thread, everyone wants more for less, and I'm no different - just in my case I want more productivity for less time.

But I don't think you'll get too many more takers.