[NTLUG:Discuss] PIC programming using Linux

[Seth Daniel]

All,

I have recently been introduced to PIC progamming
by a friend of mine (for those not familiar with PIC
I am *not* talking about Position Independent Code.  
I'm referring to the chips made by Microchip 
(http://www.microchip.com)).  

I would like to do the programming on my Linux box.
However, my friend only knows about the DOS and 
Windows tools. 

Anyway, I have several tools for Linux.  Specifically
I have:
  o prog84 (http://home3.inet.tele.dk/frda/picasm/prog.html)
  o picprog (http://www.pp.htv.fi/jhyvatti/pic/picprog.html)
  o picasm (http://www.co.jyu.fi/~trossi/pic/)

My questions are these:

  o Does anyone have experience with these programs? Or other
    programs?
  o What programmers do you use and/or work best 
    with prog84 or picprog?  I'm particularly interested
    in a programmer that programs many different PICs.
  o Anything else I might need to know. :o) 

Hopefully someone knows something about this.  I realize
it may be a niche nobody in this group fits.  Thanks for
any help.
-- 
seth daniel  |  Texas Instruments DMOS4/5
seth at ti.com  |   Automation Engineering