Editing SmartBox OS (section)

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There are a number of reasons why using Machine Code on the
controller is more desirable than using the various JobCalls via the serial
link.  One reason is speed, if the task which needs to be performed, has to
be performed very quickly (more quickly than can be achieved via the serial
link at least), then some code must be written to work in the controller
itself to achieve this sort of speed.  If the task required is to be a
"background" task (ie.  a task which may happen while other "things" carry
on as normal, like a change of state of a particular port) then it is far
easier to let the controller do all the work, maybe under interupts, than
continuously poll the controller checking the state of various things. 
Another reason may be that you would like to add another JobCall to the OS,
extending the calls available to external applications (and the user at the
same time), without the user having to write the code himself to achieve the
aim.  For advanced users, there is also the ablity to alter the way the OS
does various things and to have the controller in their "power", for
dedicated tasks etc.

One advantage of writing IN the controller is that that "function"
is available to any computer using the serial link, and is thus not fixed to
one computer type or even a computer at all, where the controller is used
free running, doing a particular task which doesn't need the intervention of
the user's own computer.