Musicmanager
Well-Known Member
Hi Guys
I wanted to offer a slightly differing perspective on the notion, too often declared, that any kind of tool that is computer generated HAS to be a 'Game'. I find it somewhat disturbing that the majority of folk I have come across who profess this opinion have never actually tried use one.
Most of you will know, but to be clear, I am a complete electronics novice with some experience, but very little expertise. I am often in awe of the members on here who can look at a circuit drawn on a piece of paper and know exactly what it will do or not do, or define, to 2 decimal places, the voltage or current present across the terminals of a particular component or some other 'genius' based analogy that folk like me can only guess.
However, if I can draw that circuit into a computer generated schematic and then run a simulator and poke about with the onboard oscilloscope I find I can learn quite a lot from the experience. I understand that the results are going to be a little arbitrary or approximate because of the averaged data the simulator must use to compute, but nevertheless, to a novice like me that is not as important as the information that is available.
Back in the real world, there is no substitute for a good quality DMM or 'scope, signal generator, Freq. counter etc when accuracy becomes essential and I have such equipment on my bench and it is used fairly regularly. However, you can only do that when you have the circuit in the real world too !
Finally, when one of the aforementioned 'experts' looks at a circuit and assesses it's potential at any given point he does so via a series of mathematical calculations, maybe born from experience, but ultimately mathematical nevertheless. A computer loaded with software whether it be CAD or indeed anything else, is nothing more than a large memory and very fast calculator and in the case of a simulator it is simply storing the data of electronic components' capability and then mathematically adding, subtracting, dividing etc., according to the instructions provided by connection.
When using a circuit simulator the only 'winner' is the operator, which IMHO suggests that it is a very useful TOOL but a fairly useless GAME.
Here end the sermon, we shall now sing hymn number .. .. . .. ..
S
I wanted to offer a slightly differing perspective on the notion, too often declared, that any kind of tool that is computer generated HAS to be a 'Game'. I find it somewhat disturbing that the majority of folk I have come across who profess this opinion have never actually tried use one.
Most of you will know, but to be clear, I am a complete electronics novice with some experience, but very little expertise. I am often in awe of the members on here who can look at a circuit drawn on a piece of paper and know exactly what it will do or not do, or define, to 2 decimal places, the voltage or current present across the terminals of a particular component or some other 'genius' based analogy that folk like me can only guess.
However, if I can draw that circuit into a computer generated schematic and then run a simulator and poke about with the onboard oscilloscope I find I can learn quite a lot from the experience. I understand that the results are going to be a little arbitrary or approximate because of the averaged data the simulator must use to compute, but nevertheless, to a novice like me that is not as important as the information that is available.
Back in the real world, there is no substitute for a good quality DMM or 'scope, signal generator, Freq. counter etc when accuracy becomes essential and I have such equipment on my bench and it is used fairly regularly. However, you can only do that when you have the circuit in the real world too !
Finally, when one of the aforementioned 'experts' looks at a circuit and assesses it's potential at any given point he does so via a series of mathematical calculations, maybe born from experience, but ultimately mathematical nevertheless. A computer loaded with software whether it be CAD or indeed anything else, is nothing more than a large memory and very fast calculator and in the case of a simulator it is simply storing the data of electronic components' capability and then mathematically adding, subtracting, dividing etc., according to the instructions provided by connection.
When using a circuit simulator the only 'winner' is the operator, which IMHO suggests that it is a very useful TOOL but a fairly useless GAME.
Here end the sermon, we shall now sing hymn number .. .. . .. ..
S