Student "edition" found at {csi dot journalspace dot com}.

Maybe I shouldn't have started this blog now, not with everything that's been going on.

In my Computer Systems Organization lab class for the fourth week of the third term, I gave them just two Boolean functions of four variables that they were supposed to make the circuits for. This, I told them, would also serve as an additional review for them regarding their test during the next meeting of the lecture session.

I also showed them how to troubleshoot their circuit, which was basically to check the input and output of every gate in their circuit with a voltmeter to see if the readings would match what is supposed to be the behavior of each gate.

With this, in fact, we were able to determine that for one group it was their original schematic diagram that was the reason behind why the outputs of their connections did not match their original truth table.

For another group, the conclusion I arrived at when the inputs did not match the outputs for a particular gate was that the gate of that chip was faulty.

When the connections were switched to another gate in the same chip and the results were the same, then I said that it was probably the IC that was broken.

After replacing the IC with another one of the same type and the results were still incorrect, I asked the group to try another type of chip.

Once more, we did not get the desired readings. So I said maybe there was a shorted connection in that side of the breadboard they were using, so they were recommended to move the chip to another part of the breadboard.

Unfortunately by that time the class was near the end, so these groups will have to finish their experiments on the next meeting.

Now I have to figure out what to do with the two sets of groups in the class, one of which are all building their circuits without errors and have finished the tasks given for that day, and the second set are still working on the circuits from the previous meetings. I could offer them extra time to work during the week when they, the lab and I are free, but will they take it?

Session 979 is behind on the last given experiment. Class dismissed.