Embedded Technology Journal Update

a techfocus media publication :: March 6, 2007 :: volume VI, no. 09

FROM THE EDITOR

This week, we examine the mystery of the middle manager. Often, in engineering organizations, the role of middle management is difficult to decipher and for the average, direct, problem-solving engineer – a bit of an enigma. Our newest feature article peels back the wrapper on middle management and offers some tips for thriving in this least-understood segment of corporate hierarchy.

Thanks for reading! If there's anything we can do to make our publications more useful to you, please let us know at: comments@embeddedtechjournal.com. If you'd rather sound off in public, please post your comments or questions in our new Journal Forums.

Kevin Morris – Editor
Embedded Technology Journal

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Design without limits. Actel Fusion™ Programmable System Chips give you ARM7™, Analog, Flash, plus FPGA. Now you can quickly implement real-world applications with the industry's only soft ARM7processor in a mixed-signal FPGA. How will Actel’s ARM-enabled Fusion inspire you?

Watch the webcast to learn more.

The Semico Summit on the state of semiconductor markets for CEO/President/CTOs & other Execs of embedded firms looking to better understand design issues/chip trends On the agenda: CEOs of National, MIPS, Actel, Mentor, Cadence, LSI, Chartered, eSilicon & more! Widely revered as the semiconductor event of the year.
Register Today!

FPGA AND STRUCTURED ASIC JOURNAL
A weekly e-mail newsletter from techfocus media (publishers of Embedded Technology Journal) dedicated to the design and application of FPGA and structured ASIC technology.
SUBSCRIBE NOW - FREE!

CURRENT FEATURE ARTICLES

Managing the Middle Manager
An Engineer's Guide
Is it February? Then it must be embedded world.
by Dick Selwood
Doin’ Hard Time
Wind River Adds RTLinux
Software Supervision
Wind River Lab Diagnostics
Pushing a Progressive Paradigm
Encirq Opens Access
Digital Rights Management in Silicon
The Balance between Content Owners and Consumers
by Al Hawtin, Elliptic Semiconductor
Actel Activates Platforms
Roadmap Solidifies Embedded Processor Strategy

JOURNAL WEBCASTS

(NEW!)Introducing Actel Fusion – the world’s first Flash-based FPGA, with Memory and Analog front end sponsored by Actel

(NEW!)Introducing Spartan-3AN FPGAs – Non-Volatile Secure Platform for Highest System Integration sponsored by Xilinx

Embedded Design with LatticeMico32 Open, Free 32-bit Soft Processor sponsored by Lattice Semiconductor

Speed Adoption of Intel® Multi-Core Processors with VirtualLogix Real-Time Virtualization™ Technology sponsored by VirtualLogix

Harnessing ModelSim Designer to Improve your FPGA Design Productivity sponsored by Mentor Graphics

Optimizing Verilog Coding for More Efficient FPGA Synthesis sponsored by Lattice Semiconductor

Designing 2Gbps Parallel I/O with the LatticeSC FPGA sponsored by Lattice Semiconductor

Managing the Middle Manager
An Engineer's Guide

Middle Manager makes his way through the maze of chest-high walls, passing members of his team as he plans his morning, pausing a couple of times – pretending to understand what he’s watching as he peers into cubes where startled engineers suddenly switch from doing real work to doing things they think will look more like real work. This daily double-ended dance of deception lasts only seconds. Middle Manager moves on down the corridor, hoping to hear a hint of the mood in executive staff as he passes the cracked conference room door.

Electronics Engineer puts down the dated databook he was pretending to consult and pops the chat window back up on his monitor – the one where his best friend (working at a competitor’s company) is explaining the basics of pre-emphasis in high-speed serial transceivers amidst intermittent discussion about the next night’s basketball game.

Software Engineer relaxes back into his chair, closing the debugger window. He was faking it. He had been waiting for almost an hour for the build to complete when Middle Manager walked by. The debugger window was just big enough to cover the web browser with the aviation weather site up. He had been planning his afternoon flight when he heard Middle Manager’s signature key-jingle echoing down the hall. [more]