I just read Jack's editorial on Embedded.com on the RS08 processor. This is a fun little processor.

We did some work on the instruction set design on this processor, and wrote a C compiler for the RS08. This is a remarkable little processor that, in the end, outperformed many people's expectations (including mine).

Jack Ganssle's latest column in embedded.com reminds us that there is still life in 8-bit architectures.

He mentions the Freescale RS08, which is supported by our C6808 Code Development System.

UPDATE: Jack cites an article on Circuit Cellar by Tom Cantrell, who also talks about RS08.

RS08 support is now shipping in C6808. Contact sales@bytecraft.com for more information or to place an order.

Yes.

C6808 creates a stack through program code: it preserves the Shadow PC (SPC) in a local variable and restores it prior to returning.
As an optimization, it eliminates this code whenever possible. When a function calls no subordinate functions, or when the call to a subordinate function happens at specific points in program flow, the compiler eliminates the saved PC and the memory location it would require.

This approach uses no extra memory compared to a hardware stack.

There's no reason not to use C to program even the smallest computers. C compilers improve on assemblers by:

• Allowing the developer to work in the problem space (choosing the symbolic operations), not the solution space (choosing the machine instructions).
• Calculating opportunities for optimization with both the algorithm and target hardware in mind.

RS08 support is now shipping in C6808. Contact sales@bytecraft.com for more information or to place an order.