John Doty wrote: > On May 15, 2009, at 10:43 AM, Joerg wrote: > >> Peter Baxendale wrote: >>> On Thu, 2009-05-14 at 13:25 -0400, al davis wrote: >>> >>>> Educators typically use simulators very poorly, as if they >>>> themselves don't understand. In most cases, the total use is a >>>> few specified runs with a couple of graphs, that you do after >>>> everything else is done. A more appropriate use of simulators >>>> is to explore things that you can't see with real measurements. >>>> There is a lot that you can find out about a circuit that you >>>> can't measure in a practical way. >>>> >>>> Students need to learn to be flexible, and they need to learn to >>>> use computers effectively, not just by kicking the GUI a few >>>> times. EE's, even analog designers, need to learn some serious >>>> programming. >>>> >>> You're right, of course. In mitigation let me say that the particular >>> course for which I use swcad (LTSpice) is 4 x 2hr sessions for a >>> dozen >>> students who've never seen an electronic cad package before. I try to >>> give them an understanding of the process from design to schematic to >>> test by simulation to pcb. I use gschem/gattrib/gsch2pcb/pcb and >>> swcad. >>> The choice of swcad was a compromise to give me a better chance of >>> fitting it all in. It just gives them a taster for what might be >>> possible using simulation. >>> >> IMHO that was a smart choice. Whether we like it or not, nearly all of >> those kids will be owning Windows-based laptops plus some maybe with >> Apple. It is best when they can simply use the simulator on their own >> laptops so they have a chance to keep working on a problem over >> lunch or >> on weekends. >> > > For a class, a better solution might be a live memory stick. You can > fit a Linux (I'd probably choose Ubuntu) on a $10 stick. Install gEDA > et al., make copies, distribute to students. Most likely there will > be fewer problems this way than dealing with software imported into > multiple versions and configurations of an alien environment. This > should even work for an Intel Mac. Then everybody's running the same > thing, same appearance, same facilities, few surprises (there are > never *no* surprises). Maybe have 'em hand in their work on their > stick, save trees... >
That would work. Ubuntu is nice but I don't know if it works well enough on all popular laptops and netbooks. However, you'd have to cajole students into either coughing up those $10 or bring a USB stick. Unbelievable but such "expenses" aren't in the cards in a lot of places. While xx million is spent in "use it or lose it" fashion on non-essentials like replacing a perfectly good running track. Gets my blood boiling ... -- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/ _______________________________________________ geda-user mailing list geda-user@moria.seul.org http://www.seul.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/geda-user