Micro-controllers are at the core of most embedded systems, but working with them isn’t always smooth. From confusing datasheets to fragmented tool-chains, even experienced engineers can hit roadblocks. This month, we want to know:
What micro-controllers are you currently using? (and why that one?)
Reading all of this makes me think of a few things
I've been programming and coding since 1976, starting with PDP8 and 11, 8080 in the form of an S100 bus system configured for industrial control and even a little cobol on the company mainframe. since then probably coded in dozens of languages over the years, mainly changing because the new job had X as the standard, I think if you know how to design a good program it becomes easier to code it for a specific MCU/CPU
Even after over 50 years I still drop to C++ as my goto with C# when targeting MS platforms.
I like the abstraction from hardware to user code of things like the arduino IDE, its hard to say the board is an arduino anymore but I really like the code abstraction, 99% or more of applications dont need the speed of assembly or other direct platform written code and were you need a bit more power you can switch out the hardware with little change to you actual code, were you do then drop to C++ or something.
on the STM development environment I love the configurator/mapper that allows internal function blocks to be configured and or mapped to external pins in some cases almost any pin, that's awesome and can aid in pcb layout tremendously i think.
Distributed computing / environment is the way to go for all but the simpler systems, even now with 3D printing or other CNC/motion control type solutions there are apps like Klipper that abstract the G Code interpretation and hans of just motion control to one or more MCU's for the various parts of in my canse the 3D printer.
I am building 2 right now, a Voron Trident and a Voron V2 R2.4, both have a PI or equivalent for the master controller and then in my case a RPI2040 based head controller for hotend temp, filament flow, cooling fans and the like, then another RPI2040 running the A/B motors for the core XY motion platform, then an ST32xxx based board running the heated bed, 3 or 4 Z motors , system cooling and various other things. The PI is also providing web interface and local display / controls.
That's all for just a 3D printer but it keeps everything simple, the environment is abstracted but highly optimized for near real time control of those motors (Gotta make sure those circles are actually round :) ) and it supports loads of different MCU's and hardware interfaces.
I could go on but I digress, I will be creating posts for the 3D printer builds in detail soon but thats were im at for now with coding and building.
Oh... yes im old too 
