I'm the author of the linked article and involved in bringing Python to the BBC micro:bit. Happy to answer questions.
e.g. Wikipedia suggests it's got two processors. That's application processor and a USB I/O processor, right? Which handles mass storage mode and bootstrapping the applications processor? Does it also provide a debugging interface, and can it be programmed? Have they exposed any JTAG pins for the applications processor? Are you required to use their toolchain or can I just womp something up with gcc and deploy it?
If you do a google image search for large micro:bit images, you'll see there's a Nordic NRF51822 chip (Which is an ARM Cortex M0, with BLE), and a Kinetis ARM chip connected to USB. It's running an mbed-compatible bootloader that appears as a USB mass storage device. You just copy hex files onto it and it programs the NRF51822.
Happy to talk about MicroPython.
Sorry.
What was the porting experience like? I have a non-ARM low-end microprocessor it might be interesting to port MicroPython to.
Obviously, we'll be documenting the MicroPython implementation. Other partners will do their own thing.
Do you think Microsoft's involvement has enhanced the technical goals of the project, sounds like you really needed to shoe-horn MicroPython in there?
Do you think if MicroPython was a goal that they did the project right, anything major you'd have done differently?
Thanks.
I can confidently say that all the partners are working very hard to fulfil the vision the BBC has of inspiring a new generation of digital makers, engineers and creatives. Each partner brings different skills, capabilities and expertise to the table. It's most certainly a case of the whole is bigger than the sum of its parts since we're all pulling together in the same direction.