µctrl Raspberryπ pico & arduino

[Liam Hays]

Hi everybody.

I think the Pi Pico is a great sign for modern microcontrollers. Already, M0- and M4-based ARM boards like this, this, and others (those are both Adafruit boards, but many companies make them) are becoming the norm in the world of small programmable devices. Seeing Raspberry Pi, a group already known far and wide throughout the community, enter the field of microcontrollers is a good sign for the future. It shows that we can always innovate further, getting more out of the parts we are already so good at creating.

As for Python, this is where it gets complicated. I think Csaba said it best by comparing it to BASIC, as it is the go-to language for so many modern applications, educational or otherwise---look at what you can do with packages like numpy, matplotlib, and pandas alone. If I need to make a professional-looking graph, or process a CSV file from an Arduino, or anything else involving that kind of data, I would far rather build a small script than struggle with a complicated C++ API (if such a thing even exists), or, even worse, an Excel spreadsheet. I also really enjoy using Python for most of my other programming, thanks to packages like wxPython as well as the inbuilt string manipulation, though I still stick with Arduino for my microcontrollers. In fact, one of the reasons that I don't have a Prime, aside from cost, and lack of need of another HP, is because it doesn't support Python. While I'm sure PPL is plenty powerful, Python is more intuitive, and I think it would be able to extract much of the inherent power present in the Prime, as well as take advantage of the touchscreen and even external package repositories.

Remember, just because Python is in the future of microcontrollers doesn't mean microcontrollers have to be only Python. As long as Python is present on a board, C and C++ will be there too, and those APIs will be just as well supported. The Pico already has a full C/C++ API, plus that assembly-like PIO language for peripheral building, and I think it won't be difficult for the people behind Arduino to build a variant of that language for it---after all, there's already an Arduino package for the M0, the same underlying processor core the Pico uses.

Finally, while Python can be a pain (I understand; I had a Mac once), I think it's important to note that Python is making coding available to many more people than ever before. Educational microcontrollers like the micro:bit, as well as traditional desktop Python, open the door to kids and adults of all ages and skill levels to programming, and the careers and opportunities that are available with that knowledge.

Long story short, I understand why one might be adverse to Python and languages like it. That's why there are so many programming languages, right? The choices exist because the choices are needed. Remember that the choice that meets your needs is always the best choice.