Closed loop systems: can we put a breakpoint to stop the
whole system ?
Systems-on-silicon design. Where do we plug the emulator ?
New trend: configurable microcontrollers: can you re-configure
an ICE ?
Murphy laws about ICEs
An emulator improperly connected will become always damaged
by the circuit under development. Such circuit will get no
damage at all.
In Europe, an emulator always needs to be shipped to the US
to be repaired. In such reparation, it will always need an spare
part to be ordered from Japan.
The package for a microcontroller is always decided to be
DIL, five minutes before opening the box of its corresponding
brand new emulator ordered with a PLCC or FlatPack probe.
The delivery time for the right probe is directly proportional
to its need, in the eventual case that has not been obsoleted by
the manufacturer.
Real-time emulators are so good, that is the unique way to
make the system going, making everything else fail, including
the real micro.
Code lines cause a gravity force over break-points directly
proportional to the damage they can produce in the external
circuit if the process is stopped.
The emulator ground and the system ground will have a voltage
difference proportional to the number of components that can be
blown up when shorted.