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5d41402abc4b • last Friday at 8:18 AM • 2 replies • view on HN

> The flip side is that their errata is lengthy

Just like security bugs, lengthy errata doesn't mean anything. A popular MCU will have bigger errata sheet because it gets more eyes on it.

>documentation from STM is poorly organized and spread out over a zillion different documents

The spreading out over multiple documents is good organization. You don't want to combine your datasheet, reference manual and appnotes into one.

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u8080 • last Friday at 9:40 AM

> lengthy errata doesn't mean anything

In STM32G0 for example, there is "SPIv1" peripheral which has very critical implementation bugs which can get SPI to completely stuck until reset by RCC.

There is very brief mention in STM errata about this, I had to dig up forums and dance up with SWD around this.

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inferiorhuman • last Friday at 9:01 AM

  Just like security bugs, lengthy errata doesn't mean anything. A popular
  MCU will have bigger errata sheet because it gets more eyes on it.
Yeah, no. From all outward appearances STM stuff is basically rushed to market, fix the bugs later. We're talking basic shit like xyz clock input or watchdog straight up doesn't work. More advanced stuff like one of their USB controllers straight up doesn't enumerate with ARM Macs — still not in the errata or marketing materials BTW although the workaround may end up beating you with some other bugs. Or the one family that they had to completely rework the USB peripheral while subtly changing the part numbers. Or yeah no.

> The spreading out over multiple documents is good organization.

No, it's really not. It's things like reading up on a peripheral in the reference manual and then trying to figure out which pins you can use with it. Some vendors will put that in the section with each peripheral, most will include a table within the RM, and STM splits it up into multiple documents — per variant within a family because the families are often loosely related.

None of this stuff is offered up in printed form, they could at least hyperlink it (whether intra- or inter- document).

It's not that surprising really. You've gotta cut costs somewhere.

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