Big bang, small bucks; Effective use of low-cost CAD packages

At Wichita State University we have implemented an undergraduate three-course sequence in digital system design and computer architecture. Key to the success of these courses are two inexpensive yet very effective software packages called B2Logic [1] and Logic-Aid[2]. Both packages are very user friendly, requiring little practice to become proficient in their use. After the first two courses the students are familiar with both packages. By the end of the third course, Introduction to Computer Design, they will have developed a complete 4-bit processor using the B2Logic package. Using the simulation feature of the package they can load and run actual programs. As semester projects the students are required to add various features to the processor they have designed such as push-down stacks, branching instructions, etc.