Blog Review: Jan. 13
By Ed Sperling
SystemC is now on YouTube. Now the question is whether it can achieve cult status beyond just a select group of system-level engineers. And if it does—granted, that’s a big if…will Dennis Brophy get more Mentor stock, or will simply have to content himself with extreme fame and fighting off the paparazzi in airports. Hey, it’s about time they picked on someone intelligent. We might even look at those photos.
Speaking of photos, Synopsys’ Navraj Nandra sent home some family photos from CES. Well, not exactly his family. It was a family of USB interconnects. You’d be surprised what they’re being used for these days.
What makes a product great? And what makes it successful? Mentor’s Thomas Bollaert takes a look at the Google Nexus One smart phone and what was done behind the scenes to bring out the product. While market success is a relative matter, based upon a variety of factors such as competition and the ability to exceed overhyped expectations, that has nothing to do with the creation of a successful design.
Synopsys’ Karen Bartleson is developing her own 10 Commandments for standards. Unlike the late Charlton Heston, who handed them all out at once, Ms Bartleson is doling them out one blog at a time. The latest one is that all standards shall have technical and business aspects.
Mentor’s Colin Walls has come up with an interesting idea that should be kept well away from the marketing departments. Instead of using the word ‘compromise,’ substitute ‘optimize.’ That works fine in embedded software, but it frightening to think of the other possibilities. Instead of downsizing companies could be re-optimized. And in other news tonight, the U.S. optimized its relations with Iran.
Anyone working with VMM and looking to take their skill to the next level should click on Vidyanshankar Ramaswamy’s blog on reusable transactors and physical interfaces. It’s a deep dive into the verification world with some great tips. These days, any verification help that’s available is a good thing.
While most people create a holiday wish list for the upcoming hoiliday, Cadence’s Jack Erickson has developed one for the next decade. This one is mostly about skills migration and training so that engineers can develop advanced chips. It’s a good thought.
Daniel Nenni takes a look at what’s going to drive electronics sales in the future. Many analysts agree with him that it won’t be 3D TV or tablet PCs. But from there it’s a blur. Nenni is putting his money on social media and mobile Internet devices. The question is where will consumers put their money?
Tags: Cadence, Mentor Graphics, Synopsys