Reply by genus727 January 6, 20092009-01-06
I will confirm that. Yesterday, I got quoted $3295 for an single seat
unlimited license. The baseline license is $1295 and has a 16k
compile limitation.

USB Dongle = $79 if you want to install on multiple computers while
using a single-seat license.

I currently use R&A's Crossworks for my ARM Cortex development and
have been very happy with it.

Beginning Microcontrollers with the MSP430

Reply by Larr...@PinnacleEngraving.com January 6, 20092009-01-06
Hello,

I just recently requested a purchase price for the IAR professional msp430 product and the price was around $3200 for 1 license.

Coming from the Microchip PIC environment, I found that a little hard to swallow, But... I have done enough work in various environments with and without IDE's debuggers, simulators, etc. to know how much more efficient I am when using an IDE rather that a command line driven product. I would have to venture that if the total project was 500 hours with an IDE, it would be at least 550 with a command line project. Putting together the makefile would take several hours alone. If you can save 30 hours for your client on one job, I think the cost of the IDE would be justified.

I have used GCC products going back to when Richard Stallman's launch in September of 1983, and absolutely love what has been done since.

So there you have it. IAR professional edition, 1 license, ~$3200.

Larry
Reply by Paul Curtis January 5, 20092009-01-05
Hi John,

> I think I answered part of this in the my original post - didn't I:
>
> It depends on how many licenses (seats) you purchase.
> Expect it to be in the $2K ball-park (1 license). My understanding is
> that it is no longer the most expensive toolset for the MSP430.
>
> As far as the more expensive - maybe I should refrain from answering that.

According to this:

http://shop.directinsight.co.uk/catalog/index.php?cPathx_80_147

Baseline (12K limit) : GBP 600 = $900
Limited : GBP 1,400 = $2,100
Standard : GBP 1,800 = $2,700
Standard Network : GBP 2,300 = $3,450

I throw my hat into the ring, of course, and we only offer one version of
our tools for commercial development, unlimited at $1,500 which compares to
the $2,700 IAR compiler. Or if you're a hobbyist, just $150 unlimited.

OK, so we're now looking for a compiler that costs more than $2,700 or
$3,450. That's gotta be some beast.

--
Paul Curtis, Rowley Associates Ltd http://www.rowley.co.uk
CrossWorks for ARM, MSP430, AVR, MAXQ, and now Cortex-M3 processors
Reply by Paul Curtis January 5, 20092009-01-05
Hi John,

> I think I answered part of this in the my original post - didn't I:

I don't believe so.

> It depends on how many licenses (seats) you purchase.

Everything does.

> Expect it to be in the $2K ball-park (1 license). My understanding is
> that it is no longer the most expensive toolset for the MSP430.
>
> As far as the more expensive - maybe I should refrain from answering that.

I'd be interested to hear exactly which compiler is more expensive than
IAR's standard compiler, not a diluted baseline version. Say I want to
program up, say, a 149 with 60K of C code...

I really am intrigued.

--
Paul Curtis, Rowley Associates Ltd http://www.rowley.co.uk
CrossWorks for ARM, MSP430, AVR, MAXQ, and now Cortex-M3 processors
Reply by john...@westmorelandengineering.com January 5, 20092009-01-05
Hello Paul,

I think I answered part of this in the my original post - didn't I:

It depends on how many licenses (seats) you purchase.
Expect it to be in the $2K ball-park (1 license). My understanding is
that it is no longer the most expensive toolset for the MSP430.

As far as the more expensive - maybe I should refrain from answering that.

Regards,
John
Reply by Steve Sabram January 5, 20092009-01-05
IMO Green Hills is not just a tool license but it is also hiring a few
of their engineers by proxy. I have seen them used for very big budget
projects with huge capitalization. If you are a one man shop trying to
get the latest widget out, I think there are more economic options.
However, if you just landed a multi-million dollar infrastructure
project, they can help out.

Steve
Reply by leon Heller January 5, 20092009-01-05
>
> I'm still intrigued by your statement that IAR is no longer the most
> expensive MSP430 compiler in the market. So please, do tell more.
>
> Nobody is denying the worth of good tools. But then, nobody has come up
> with a number for the Standard IAR compiler either, or the compiler more
> expensive than IAR.
>
> Price *is* a factor when choosing tools, there is no denying the fact.

I thought it might be Green Hills - their compilers are expensive - but they
don't do one for the MSP430.

Leon
Reply by Steve Sabram January 5, 20092009-01-05
Yup and in some corporate environments, the client wants to spend a lot
of up front money considering who they are trying to impress. I have
seen a lot of land rush startups drop big money in tool fees just to
make the investors happy to show they have capitalized their R&D properly.

There are different markets, different customers and different projects
at different price points. All comes down to who you want or can sell
to at a specific instant.

One time I was on an HC05 compiler project years ago and they refused my
first compiler PO since they said it was too cheap. I ended up the
PO'ing for the most expensive HC05 environment complete with in-circuit
emulator and software emulator, they went for it.

Steve
Reply by Paul Curtis January 5, 20092009-01-05
John,

> Well said Steve,
> John

I'm still intrigued by your statement that IAR is no longer the most
expensive MSP430 compiler in the market. So please, do tell more.

Nobody is denying the worth of good tools. But then, nobody has come up
with a number for the Standard IAR compiler either, or the compiler more
expensive than IAR.

Price *is* a factor when choosing tools, there is no denying the fact.

--
Paul Curtis, Rowley Associates Ltd http://www.rowley.co.uk
CrossWorks for ARM, MSP430, AVR, MAXQ, and now Cortex-M3 processors
Reply by john...@westmorelandengineering.com January 5, 20092009-01-05
Well said Steve,
John