I’m treading dangerous ground again – moving from SEX to religion – at least the fervor of FDT vs. EDDL seems like religious zeal. Or is it EDDL vs. FDT?
I blogged about this last year, saying of users, “They are looking for results not technology – results not political intrigue.” Today one of our members pointed me to an ARC white paper on the FDT Group website (free download). Author Wil Chin reinforces my point, saying “More technology for the sake of innovation without adding user benefits is the last thing that users want.” He then goes on to make the case on page 6 that FDT and EDDL are complementary. He also talks about a test bed that includes PROFIBUS.
Although some PTO members are committed to one or the other, PTO recognizes the need to be committed to both – that’s the only way to satisfy end users. So you will find the global PROFIBUS and PROFINET organizations involved with EDDL in a joint effort with other technologies including HART, OPC, and Fieldbus Foundation. And you will see longstanding support for FDT as well.