From: A.Schappo@lut.ac.uk (Andre Schappo)
Subject: Macintosh Educational Logic Design Simulator
Followup-To: poster
Organization: Motorola Computer Group, Schaumburg, IL
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 19:25:05 GMT

A demonstration version of SimLog (an Educational Logic Design Simulator)
is now available via anonymous ftp from sumex-aim.stanford.edu (or any of
its mirrors). Path = info-mac/demo/sim-log.hqx

The following is an extract from one of the readmes that accompany the
SimLog Demo program.

************************************************************************
SimLog  - An Educational Logic Design Simulator.

Designed and Developed by
 Dr. Philip A. Lawson and Lesley M. Parks
of the
 Department of Computer Studies
 Loughborough University of technology
 Loughborough,  LE11 3TU
 United Kingdom
email: P.A.Lawson@lut.ac.uk

Published by ( 1991)
 Oxford University Press
 Walton Street
 Oxford,  OX26DP
 United Kingdom
telephone: (UK) 0865 56767       
Contact: Janet Caldwell, Electronic Publishing

SimLog  is an application program for Macintosh computers that allows you
to design and test basic digital logic theory through the use of a highly
interactive simulation.  With SimLog  it is easy to create complex logic
circuits, to examine their static and dynamic behaviour and subsequently
change and save your designs.  This document assumes that the reader is
adequately familiar with the standard Macintosh concepts of 'clicking',
'double-clicking', 'dragging', and 'selecting' using the mouse. It further
assumes that you know how to manage files on discs, select from menus using
both the mouse and the command keys and how to manipulate windows.  See
your Macintosh user guide for further information.

The Logic Simulator program SimLog  is a powerful teaching aid intended to
accompany a taught course on Logic Design or Computer Architectures.  It
allows you to build complex logic circuits which can be tested, saved,
modified and printed.  It has a built-in logic simulator which is
constantly active, reflecting every change that takes place in the circuit
both on-screen and, for certain output devices, via an externally connected
hardware mimic.  A password systems controls access to certain higher
features of SimLog  thereby allowing the tutor to structure the laboratory
sessions.  One very important aspect of SimLog  is the user interface which
is highly interactive and intuitive to use, responding almost instantly to
the directions.  A sophisticated routing algorithm is incorporated which
removes the overhead of detailed route planning for interconnecting wires
and solves the problems of indistinct interconnections.

SimLog  is primarily configured to emulate TTL;
(Transistor-Transistor-Logic) devices for which all unconnected logic
inputs behave as a logic '1'.  Fan-out (the number of inputs which can be
driven from one output) for most gates is 10.  Variable propagation delay
has not been included but is considered to be equal through all logic
elements.  Both Synchronous and Asynchronous devices have been included and
propagation race conditions will be displayed correctly.  There are a range
of  input and output devices which can be configured to represent the
electronic engineer's view of their operation or a simplistic view.

SimLog  has been developed after many years of running a Logic design
course, which was a prerequisite to a Computer Systems course.  It has
always been felt that a good practical back-up to the taught course
significantly aids the student's understanding of the principles involved. 
SimLog  represents the first product to appear from the Computer Aided
Learning Initiative within the Department of Computer Studies at
Loughborough University of Technology and has been successfully used in the
undergraduate course at LUT for the past four years.  It is accompanied by
a detailed user manual and a password configuration facility - SimPass . 
Options include the provision of a structured laboratory course set and a
Hardware Emulation Board (the application may be run without this unit).
-- 
Andre Schappo: Department Computer Studies, University of Technology,
               Loughborough, Leics, UK, LE11 3TU
        email: A.Schappo@lut.ac.uk      tel: (0509) 222693
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