Maker Pro
Maker Pro

Art of Electronics Rave - NON Politix! :-)

J

Jim Thompson

Jan 1, 1970
0
On Fri, 14 Jan 2005 09:29:15 -0500, Spehro Pefhany

[snip]
Some people just deal better with paper books.

Same here.

[snip]
My two 20" 1600x1200 LCD
panels are still not enough resolution and the reading position is not
optimal in all cases. Maybe I'm old-fashioned, I met a young
entrepreneur this week who reads using a projector aimed up at the
ceiling in his bedroom (or so he says, I've only seen his pretty-much
paper-free office/lab).


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

Hi Spehro, What LCD's did you buy? I'm due to replace an aging NEC
XE21 monitor, but I'll have to have the two sons come by to help me
pick it up ;-)

...Jim Thompson

I got a couple of Philips 200P3s. They have speakers-- there are
others with the same resolution and less outside frame if you don't
need the speakers. They also have a composite NTSC video input. LCDs
definitely help to reduce eyestrain- the image is razor-sharp. Had
these for a year now. I'm really glad I held out for the 1600x1200
resolution.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

Thanks, Spehro! I'll check them out. I'm also going dual monitors.
I plan to have a schematic on one monitor and the simulation output on
another, makes node probing a lot simpler.

...Jim Thompson
 
J

John Larkin

Jan 1, 1970
0
You still can. Get any version of any subset of Visual Studio (even the $99
single-language one) and lots and lots of documentation is on disk --

But I don't want lots and lots of documentation! That's the point.

Actually, I do program a lot, embedded 68K assembly and PowerBasic on
PCs. Windows is insane... more effort goes into the operator interface
and dealing with the OS than goes into solving the problem at hand.

John
 
S

Spehro Pefhany

Jan 1, 1970
0
But I don't want lots and lots of documentation! That's the point.

Actually, I do program a lot, embedded 68K assembly and PowerBasic on
PCs. Windows is insane... more effort goes into the operator interface
and dealing with the OS than goes into solving the problem at hand.

John

But then the program is easy to use, which is the payoff. Do you
really relish the appearance of a DOS screen on a program you didn't
write? How will the editing work? How do you go back to change
something 3 steps back? Ugh.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
 
J

JeffM

Jan 1, 1970
0
Name a device invented since 1989
that you think deserves inclusion [in AoE]
JeffM

How about any of the scores of cheap, powerful flash
microcontrollers with more [peripherals] [than] you can shake a stick at.
Al Borowski

Chapter 11; Figure 8.86 (and I didn't mean re-invented).
JeffM

Great sense of humor.
I wonder how many of the parts listed can even be bought now?
Clarence_A

Win has said that he and Paul
are in the process of producing an updated 3rd edition.
He put an RFC of sorts here a short time back.
It stands to reason that a man of his intelligence
will update the parts mentioned to more current versions.
 
J

Jim Thompson

Jan 1, 1970
0
On Fri, 14 Jan 2005 08:44:15 -0800, the renowned John Larkin
[snip]
Actually, I do program a lot, embedded 68K assembly and PowerBasic on
PCs. Windows is insane... more effort goes into the operator interface
and dealing with the OS than goes into solving the problem at hand.

John

But then the program is easy to use, which is the payoff. Do you
really relish the appearance of a DOS screen on a program you didn't
write? How will the editing work? How do you go back to change
something 3 steps back? Ugh.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

What do you two recommend as a programming language for someone like
myself who only needs to write computational aids to go along with my
CAD stuff?

My last experience at programming was years ago... Pascal. My son,
the programmer, is too busy to help Dad anymore :-(

...Jim Thompson
 
R

Rich Grise

Jan 1, 1970
0
On Fri, 14 Jan 2005 08:44:15 -0800, the renowned John Larkin
[snip]
Actually, I do program a lot, embedded 68K assembly and PowerBasic on
PCs. Windows is insane... more effort goes into the operator interface
and dealing with the OS than goes into solving the problem at hand.

John

But then the program is easy to use, which is the payoff. Do you
really relish the appearance of a DOS screen on a program you didn't
write? How will the editing work? How do you go back to change
something 3 steps back? Ugh.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

What do you two recommend as a programming language for someone like
myself who only needs to write computational aids to go along with my
CAD stuff?

My last experience at programming was years ago... Pascal. My son,
the programmer, is too busy to help Dad anymore :-(

Visual Basic, if you're going to insist on Windoze. It's got the eye
candy, but it's really easy to use - almost intuitive. And the language is
pretty much Basic, plus forms and "controls", which are the buttons and
text boxes and stuff.

I know, you didn't ask me, but I see no reason to withhold information
here.

Good Luck!
Rich
 
J

JeffM

Jan 1, 1970
0
It was written about 1980
No: Second edition (c) 1980, last printing 1989.
That is on several of the sites where the book is offered for sale.
Clarence_A

So much for the Internet Effect.
I, OTOH, have a recent copy of the book in front of me.

(c) 1980, 1989
First Edition published 1980
Second Edition published 1989
Reprinted 1990 (twice), 1991, 1993, 1994, (twice),
1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 (twice), 1999, 2001
 
B

Bob Stephens

Jan 1, 1970
0
But I don't want lots and lots of documentation! That's the point.

Actually, I do program a lot, embedded 68K assembly and PowerBasic on
PCs. Windows is insane... more effort goes into the operator interface
and dealing with the OS than goes into solving the problem at hand.

John

If you really *need* to program in Windows, try Borland Builder. It takes
care of a lot of the Windows message handling and GUI crap more or less
painlessly and lets you get down to writing code. Kicks the crap out of Viz
Studio IMHO...


Bob
 
C

Clarence_A

Jan 1, 1970
0
JeffM said:
So much for the Internet Effect.
I, OTOH, have a recent copy of the book in front of me.

(c) 1980, 1989
First Edition published 1980
Second Edition published 1989
Reprinted 1990 (twice), 1991, 1993, 1994, (twice),
1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 (twice), 1999, 2001

Okay. I can't comment further anyway.
As noted I trashed it a long time ago!
It had no value to me!
 
C

Clarence_A

Jan 1, 1970
0
JeffM said:
So much for the Internet Effect.
I, OTOH, have a recent copy of the book in front of me.

(c) 1980, 1989
First Edition published 1980
Second Edition published 1989
Reprinted 1990 (twice), 1991, 1993, 1994, (twice),
1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 (twice), 1999, 2001

Since you have it in front of you....

Look up "Floating Paraphrase Amplifier" and tell me what page it
is on.

I do not remember seeing it, but it HAS been a long time.
 
J

John Larkin

Jan 1, 1970
0
On Fri, 14 Jan 2005 08:44:15 -0800, the renowned John Larkin
[snip]
Actually, I do program a lot, embedded 68K assembly and PowerBasic on
PCs. Windows is insane... more effort goes into the operator interface
and dealing with the OS than goes into solving the problem at hand.

John

But then the program is easy to use, which is the payoff. Do you
really relish the appearance of a DOS screen on a program you didn't
write? How will the editing work? How do you go back to change
something 3 steps back? Ugh.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

What do you two recommend as a programming language for someone like
myself who only needs to write computational aids to go along with my
CAD stuff?

My last experience at programming was years ago... Pascal. My son,
the programmer, is too busy to help Dad anymore :-(

...Jim Thompson


PowerBasic! When I have any problem that I have to do more than a
couple times, or any fairly complex equation, I just whip out a little
program, and then I can tweak it, and save for future use. I've also
done a lot of analog+digital simulation in PB, like weird semi-digital
PLLs or statistical things. Today I'm going to try my latest:
WAFFLE.BAS, a program that reads an optical signal waveform from a 20
GHz Tek sampling scope, compares it to an ideal target waveform, and
iteratively tweaks a 4 GS/S arbitrary waveform generator to make the
optical waveform match the target. I wonder if it will converge.

If you buy PB3.5, I'll send you some of my programs as examples.

John
 
J

John Larkin

Jan 1, 1970
0
But then the program is easy to use, which is the payoff. Do you
really relish the appearance of a DOS screen on a program you didn't
write? How will the editing work? How do you go back to change
something 3 steps back? Ugh.

Hey, my programs are easy to use and have nice looking screens. Shall
I post one?

John
 
C

Charles W. Johson Jr.

Jan 1, 1970
0
Rich Grise said:
On Fri, 14 Jan 2005 08:44:15 -0800, the renowned John Larkin
[snip]

Actually, I do program a lot, embedded 68K assembly and PowerBasic on
PCs. Windows is insane... more effort goes into the operator interface
and dealing with the OS than goes into solving the problem at hand.

John

But then the program is easy to use, which is the payoff. Do you
really relish the appearance of a DOS screen on a program you didn't
write? How will the editing work? How do you go back to change
something 3 steps back? Ugh.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

What do you two recommend as a programming language for someone like
myself who only needs to write computational aids to go along with my
CAD stuff?

My last experience at programming was years ago... Pascal. My son,
the programmer, is too busy to help Dad anymore :-(

Visual Basic, if you're going to insist on Windoze. It's got the eye
candy, but it's really easy to use - almost intuitive. And the language is
pretty much Basic, plus forms and "controls", which are the buttons and
text boxes and stuff.

I know, you didn't ask me, but I see no reason to withhold information
here.

Good Luck!
Rich

I'll second Rich's sugestion, if you had the time to learn I'd suggest
Visual Studio with C++ and use dialog boxes for the speed.

Charles
 
C

Clarence_A

Jan 1, 1970
0
"JeffM" wrote
is

That's "Floating Paraphase Parser" and your memory is not playing
tricks.
That is not in AoE; it is in RFC-1855.

That has nothing to do with a Phase splitter!
Sorry about the typo! The spell checker doesn't speak electronics
either!
 
J

Jim Thompson

Jan 1, 1970
0
On Fri, 14 Jan 2005 08:44:15 -0800, the renowned John Larkin
[snip]

Actually, I do program a lot, embedded 68K assembly and PowerBasic on
PCs. Windows is insane... more effort goes into the operator interface
and dealing with the OS than goes into solving the problem at hand.

John

But then the program is easy to use, which is the payoff. Do you
really relish the appearance of a DOS screen on a program you didn't
write? How will the editing work? How do you go back to change
something 3 steps back? Ugh.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

What do you two recommend as a programming language for someone like
myself who only needs to write computational aids to go along with my
CAD stuff?

My last experience at programming was years ago... Pascal. My son,
the programmer, is too busy to help Dad anymore :-(

...Jim Thompson


PowerBasic! When I have any problem that I have to do more than a
couple times, or any fairly complex equation, I just whip out a little
program, and then I can tweak it, and save for future use. I've also
done a lot of analog+digital simulation in PB, like weird semi-digital
PLLs or statistical things. Today I'm going to try my latest:
WAFFLE.BAS, a program that reads an optical signal waveform from a 20
GHz Tek sampling scope, compares it to an ideal target waveform, and
iteratively tweaks a 4 GS/S arbitrary waveform generator to make the
optical waveform match the target. I wonder if it will converge.

If you buy PB3.5, I'll send you some of my programs as examples.

John

Is there a difference between Power Basic and Visual Basic?

...Jim Thompson
 
K

Keith Williams

Jan 1, 1970
0
On Fri, 14 Jan 2005 09:29:15 -0500, Spehro Pefhany

[snip]

Some people just deal better with paper books.

Same here.

[snip]

My two 20" 1600x1200 LCD
panels are still not enough resolution and the reading position is not
optimal in all cases. Maybe I'm old-fashioned, I met a young
entrepreneur this week who reads using a projector aimed up at the
ceiling in his bedroom (or so he says, I've only seen his pretty-much
paper-free office/lab).


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

Hi Spehro, What LCD's did you buy? I'm due to replace an aging NEC
XE21 monitor, but I'll have to have the two sons come by to help me
pick it up ;-)

...Jim Thompson

I got a couple of Philips 200P3s. They have speakers-- there are
others with the same resolution and less outside frame if you don't
need the speakers. They also have a composite NTSC video input. LCDs
definitely help to reduce eyestrain- the image is razor-sharp. Had
these for a year now. I'm really glad I held out for the 1600x1200
resolution.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

Thanks, Spehro! I'll check them out. I'm also going dual monitors.
I plan to have a schematic on one monitor and the simulation output on
another, makes node probing a lot simpler.

When I was doing FPGA stuff I'd have ModelSim on one screen and my
VHDL/Schematic on the other. Cross-probing was slick. It great for
documentation also (text on one formatting windows on another). I just
went dual screen at home because it's so useful. OTOH, my wife is
overwhelmed by the two screens, so shuts one off.

Here at work I have my 15" laptop and two 21" monitors. The laptop and
the middle monitor are my Windows screens and the right 21" is my AIX
screen. I use a KVM (M not connected) to switch back and forth.

More pixels!
 
G

Guy Macon

Jan 1, 1970
0
Jim said:
What do you two recommend as a programming language for someone like
myself who only needs to write computational aids to go along with my
CAD stuff?

My last experience at programming was years ago... Pascal. My son,
the programmer, is too busy to help Dad anymore :-(

Powerbasic Console Compiler, aka PB/CC. Accept no substitutes!
http://www.powerbasic.com/products/pbcc/
 
S

Spehro Pefhany

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hey, my programs are easy to use and have nice looking screens. Shall
I post one?

John

Sure.

As to the question. For little console-based stuff that has no
significant user interface, I used to use Borland C++ (and before
that, Borland Pascal), but I'm now using DevC++ (free download). The
latter is a very nice IDE with the Mingw gcc port underneath. Just
because I use C and C-like languages (together with a bit of asm)
most, so it's the easiest for me.

I don't do significant Windows programs, I pay other people to do them
when required. I've used Visual Basic and it wasn't hard to create a
nice-looking user interface, but I don't really want to spend the
mental bandwidth on doing that sort of thing. For someone that works
with it regularly it would be a different equation.

Python (also C-like) has some interesting characteristics, and a lot
of stuff out there that can be plugged into it. Such as reportlab that
can create PDF files directly- good for dynamic pdfs on web pages, but
also useful for other things. I've played with it enough to think that
if I had more time, I'd be using it more.

I have not used Powerbasic since it came on 5.25" floppy disks.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
 
Top