corporations (codesys?) supports open software where it suits their corporate interests. openplc is an open platform for IEC61131-3.
for example, codesys is built to use, or built on top of (not sure) of the oscat open source control libraries. And codesys runs on a raspberry pi. So, codesys will use that which is beneficial to it.
https://store.codesys.com/oscat-basic.html?___store=en
http://www.oscat.de/images/OSCATBasic/o ... 333_en.pdf
As a segway, there is no reason why micropython could not use these same OSCAT libraries. They are proven code. It is quite a large amount of code perhaps, and too exapansive perhaps unaltered for the micropython platform. But it has a lot of code, which can be cherry picked (perhaps) to provide immediate solutions for problems that might otherwise be encountered. perhaps micropython could live on top of OSCAT also.
The money that will fund micropython is in the same ecosystem where codesys lives.
My understanding the goal IEC61131-3 is to bring standardization to the (then) 5 ways of writing software for progarmmable logic controller, and to facilitate the creation of a consistent standard. My understanding is that nobody has implemented IEC61131-3 in an entirely open manner.
I think the question to ask is: what does micropython bring to the table, and is it a fit for embedded control. And is IEC6131-3 the place for that to occur. Corporations generally won't embrace a technology, or buy a product, unless it is supported. If micropython has a support company, I can imagine it gaining traction in the corporate world at a faster pace than it is happening now.
The codesys and micropython licenses are not compatible. The micropython and OSCAT libraries may be compatible.
I'm not sure that micropython should be a IEC61131-3 language per se, because its capabilities are far beyond what IEC61131-3 solves. One question to ask is micropython complementary to iIEC61131-3, whilst still being an embedded environment. It may be that micropython and iec6113-3 environments should be peers. For example, on a raspberry pi, it should be possible to run micropython on one core, and openplc on another core and have them talk to each other by some mechanism (shared memory, mqtt, whatever).
The beauty of micropython is that it might be a perfect fit for oscat, and also for the IEC61131-3 world.
Perhaps that which IEC61131-3 can't do, (or do well), micropython can, or has the potential, to do.
Then there is the question of DCS vs PLC, (eg. honeywell tdc3000 versus modicon 984). Is micropython more suited to address issues that pertain to distributed control systems, and is it the perfect glue for creating distributed control systems.
Having familiarization with the codesys world might be advantageous to the micropython world.