PLM's HDL MuC

PLM's HDL MuC:
I have a basic question about what's the difference between HDL and PLMs.
What ever that can be done using HDL can be implemented using Microcontroller. But Why cant it be used?
I have a bit of confusion between CPLD's FPGA's & Microcontrollers. Can anyone explain

HDL - Hardware Descriptive Language -- is used to specify the logic that will be configured in FPGA's
FPGA - Field Programmable Gate Array -- A device which can be programmed to implement a variety of logic systems, such as state machines, DSP, Micro Processors, etc.
CPLD - Complex Programmable Logic Device -- sort of like an FPGA, but smaller and not as felxible.
Microcontroller - A microprocessor with integrated periphreals, such as UART's, timers, instruction memory, etc.

Some overlap exists in applications between FPGA's and microcontrollers. They typically have differnet apps, however.

hi brownout,
what about PLM- Programmable Logic Microcomputers?
How are they different from FPGA ?

I dont know much about PLM's, but I imagine they have a microcontroller and interfaces, I/O and such. Microcontrollers are different from FPGA's as contain a microprocessor which executes a stroed program. BUT, FPGA's may contain a microprocessor too, either an embedded on or a so called "soft" microprocessor. The determining factor is just how much logic is required by the application. I"m sure PLM's are simple controllers and don't require an FPGA. We've used FPGA's, for example, for an ethernet MAC, which would be much more logic intensive.

And just to add to the confusion, now we have programmable Systems On a Chip (programmable SOC) which has both a microcontroller and programmable logic.

thanks BrownOut!
It was PLC, and not PLM. Sorry for confusing you up.

I was thinking PLC, but I couldn't remember the letters either Heh!

PS, just keep this in mind, the entities mentioned, FPGA's, CPLD's, microcontrollers, etc are intergrated circuit "chips" used to build systems. PLC's are complete systems built from these chips, but I think typically are based on microcontrollers.

heh ...
had attended a Mechatronics Project exhibition by a renowned company...
they used PLC's there to control machinery. And our mind's wandered when that person(exhibitor) droned on.
We were asked about PLC's, but none of us were able to answer it then. But we all studied Microcontrollers in classes...