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Old Aug 8th, 2007, 5:41 PM   #11
DaWei
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Let me add to IR's post. Software is not a standalone thing. Software does nothing, on its own. Software means that one prescribes some tasks in a highly editable environment.

Software provides, ultimately, a list of signals that are applied to the hardware. If the designers of the software converters are familar with the hardware, then they have relieved their users of the necessity of dealing with the hardware (perhaps to the tune of megabytes of code).

As a problem solver, one would be a fool if one didn't take advantage of that fact. I will offer as an example that one doesn't have to be an expert on reciprocating engines in order to be able to drive. Such knowledge, however, might kick one from Competetive to Champion.
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