[comp.edu] K-map, etc.

johnw@astroatc.UUCP (John F. Wardale) (09/16/88)

In article <3202@geac.UUCP> daveb@geac.UUCP (David Collier-Brown) writes:
>In article <1764@puff.cs.wisc.edu> upl@puff.CS.WISC.EDU writes:
>>>Why are Karnough maps important to computer organization?
>>>In fact, why would you want to use Karnough mapping on any digital system?

Karnaugh map minimization is a special case of n-cubes which are used
larger problems (one K-map can handle upto n=4, 4 maps, on paper can
do n=6 wi MUCH difficulty)  

There are LOTS of programs around that handle LARGE n.  These programs
are used for PALs (find a board that's NOT laced with PALS!) PLA's
(Find a Chip-mask that doesn't have a few internal PLAs!) and to
some extent with Gate-Arrays and Standard-Cells.
[Remember, ALL large designes contain several small and mid-sized
 chunks!]

Now, If you DON'T think this is an important part of computer 
organization and design (Can you separate them?) them let ME ask
the following:

Why do CS people put such emphasis on writing compilers??
How many people actually WRITE compilers??  Why not just
buy a compiler??

How about code-optimizers??  Anyone ever have GOOD class in that?

-- 
					John Wardale
... {seismo | harvard | ihnp4} ! {uwvax | cs.wisc.edu} ! astroatc!johnw

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