Re: What's the Toughest Branch in Electronics?

On Tue, 11 Sep 2007 20:18:02 +0000, Al wrote:
Gary Tait <classicsat@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
John Larkin <jjlarkin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in

It's just a definition, but I'd suggest that if the work doesn't
involve working with electricity (which programming doesn't) than it's
not "electronics." Programmers don't have to understand anything about
electrons or fields or things like that, and often don't.

It involves working with the hardware though.

Sometimes software can make the hardware easier (read cheaper) to build.

For microcontrollers and embedded systems, the software engineer needs to
know about the hardware system to write their code, for the most part.

Also don't programmers have to know about field, physics, mechanics and
the like when they write programs that map magnetic and electric fields
for various configurations? Don't they need to know about gravity fields
when they write programs for space craft navigation? Don't they need to
know math to solve math problems? etc, etc, etc


I think he's just trying to draw a line between "hardware" and "software";
which doesn't preclude them from knowing about each other and interacting
happily. :-)

Yes, "programming" isn't "electronics", but some electronics can benefit
from having some programming installed into it. ;-)

And, for implementing examples of Boolean algebra, which is the most
basic foundation of programming, electronics is so much easier and quicker
than making mechanical flip-flops and gates and adders and stuff. ;-)

Then again.....
http://www.boingboing.net/2006/02/07/difference-engine-me.html
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22mechanical+computer%22

Cheers!
Rich

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