ON A PROGRAMMABLE APPROACH TO INTRODUCING DIGITAL DESIGN

Introductory approaches to digital design have traditionally centered on small-scale integration as the implementation technology, An approa ch which centers on programmable logic devices is now much more approp riate given their widespread adoption by industry, This can support al l standard concepts in combinational and sequential design with the ad vantage of introducing a technology now standard for implementation, P rogrammable array logic (PAL) technology appears most suited to an int roductory approach since it is low-cost with clear extension to advanc ed programmable logic techniques; there are many PAL specification (pr ogramming) systems and many PAL devices available, There is no ideal ' 'educational'' PAL since commercial design is a compromise of great co mplexity, A review of several systems which can be used to specify PAL interconnect (covering PALASM, PLPL, PLACE, ABEL-SE, and MAX+PLUS II) shows that all can support an introductory course, that there is limi ted standardization, and that there are a number of advantages offered by the more sophisticated packages. Using a programmable approach imp lies that the academic curriculum can be revised for a new implementat ion, Such revision is not new in a subject which has demonstrated awes ome progress in its short history, The time is now right for programma ble logic to give a new interpretation into the appropriate concepts f or introducing students to digital design.